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Residents kill crocodile thought to have eaten man in Riau
Residents of Teluk Lanus village in Siak regency, Riau captured and killed on Monday a 4-meter-long saltwater crocodile in the Lakar delta believed to have eaten Syafri, a 55-year-old fisherman from Meranti Islands regency.
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The residents of Teluk Lanus village in Siak regency, Riau captured and killed a 4-meter-long saltwater crocodile in the Lakar delta believed to have eaten Syafri, a 55-year-old fisherman from Meranti Islands regency. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he residents of Teluk Lanus village in Siak regency, Riau captured and killed on Monday a 4-meter-long saltwater crocodile in the Lakar delta believed to have eaten Syafri, a 55-year-old fisherman from Meranti Islands regency.
On Sunday evening, Syafri and his friend Toha were setting fish traps at the Lakar River delta when a crocodile attacked. Toha managed to escape the attack and tried to help Syafrin, but to no avail as Syafrin was dragged into the river by the crocodile.
Toha immediately sought help from the Teluk Lanus village officers. Teluk Lanus residents teamed up with the Military and the Police to search for Syafri on Sunday, but the man was not found.
The next morning, the search continued and residents found the left leg of a man in swamps not far from the location of the crocodile attack.
Residents continued along the swamp canals in canoes and lay nets around the delta of the Lakar River.
The crocodile was eventually captured, and residents decided to cut open the animal's stomach to prove that it had eaten a man. Human body parts including a head were found inside the stomach.
Read also: Jambi wildlife agency investigates death of crocodile
Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) conservation and resources unit head Heru Sutmantoro regretted the man’s death.
“We have long warned the public to avoid saltwater crocodile habitat and be careful around that area. This was not the first attack, similar attacks have happened before around the Lakar River,” he said on Monday.
Heru said the agency had disseminated the information to residents in June 2019.
“The victim probably did not know the area was a habitat for saltwater crocodiles,” he added.
He also regretted that the crocodile was killed by residents. “Saltwater crocodiles are among the wild animals protected by the law,” said Heru.
He said, however, that the Riau BKSDA had no authority to impose sanctions.
“It is the authority of the Police or the Environment and Forest Ministry’s law enforcement center. We will increase our capacity in surveying and mapping crocodile habitats as well as monitoring the crocodiles,” he said. (aly)
