KUCHING (May 17): The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) is working with Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS) to develop an application for a database and real-time monitoring of crocodiles, said Deputy Minister for Urban Planning, Land Administration and Environment Datuk Len Talif Salleh.

According to him, the Sarawak government is always ready to pioneer and lead the use of the latest technology in any field.

In this regard, he said drones and the global positioning system (GPS) are generally used to observe and record the distribution of crocodiles and their nests.

“Right now, SFC is collaborating with Sains to develop an application for database and real-time monitoring of crocodile presence. With this, the crocodile population can be continuously monitored and ‘hot spots’ of human-crocodile conflicts can be identified.

“However, we need to accept that we have to share habitat with crocodiles and we have to take appropriate measures to reduce the risk of crocodile attacks,” he said.

The Kuala Rajang assemblyman was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Chee Kadir (GPS-Kabong) during the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting today.

Asked on the measures taken to protect the people and reduce the risk of crocodile attacks, Len Talif said several measures have been taken by the government as of today.

These include periodic monitoring at affected areas including rivers and investigate each report to identify the crocodile’s entry route, as well as holding 3M (recognise, understand and conserve) awareness programmes and installation of warning signs.

“Residents in the affected areas will be provided with complete information including the factors that encourage the presence of crocodiles in their areas as to prevent crocodile attacks from reoccurring,” he added.

Len Talif also disclosed that from 2020 until now, SFC has carried out 107 operations in which a total of 95 crocodiles have been captured and 482 eggs have been transferred.

Meanwhile, a total of 77 crocodile hunting licenses were issued from 2020 to 2022.

The Borneo Post, by Jude Toyat