KUCHING: There is no need to relax crocodile hunting laws in Sarawak as the Wild Life Protection Ordinance 1998 already sufficiently regulates the reptile’s population.
Sarawak Deputy Minister for Natural Resources and Urban Development Datuk Len Talif Salleh stated that control and monitoring measures have been implemented in an integrated manner.
These measures include the issuance of special licences, conservation programmes, and relocation efforts in identified high-risk areas.
“So far, more than 70 special licences have been issued, but only two or three are active,“ he told reporters at the Media Appreciation Night organised by Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas).
He explained this low activity results from cultural taboos among Bumiputera communities and the high costs involved in crocodile hunting.
Len Talif noted that since 2016, CITES has classified crocodiles in Sarawak as no longer protected animals.
This classification allows special permits to be issued under the ordinance for controlled hunting for skin or meat trade.
The state government remains open to considering proposals for special incentives for licensed crocodile hunters in the future.
Currently, the Sarawak Forestry Corporation carries primary responsibility for controlling the reptile population through relocation programmes and controlled culling.
“We do not want to highlight the efforts already undertaken by SFC, as there are certain quarters in society who feel uneasy that such efforts might be seen as a form of cruelty towards animals,“ he said.
He clarified these measures focus on safety rather than hatred toward crocodiles.
The reptile poses threats to communities depending on rivers in their daily lives.
Conservation measures include providing designated crocodile habitats and installing safety signboards in high-risk areas.
The CrocWatch mobile app enables public reporting of crocodile sightings with location coordinates.
“These efforts are important because many Sarawakians still depend on rivers as a source of livelihood and daily transport,“ he added. – Bernama