Baby croc found in the Setiu River
Our contact fisherman in Setiu, Ropi informed us of an exciting find on 3rd October 2009. A fishermen by the name of Yusof had caught a baby crocodile while he was fishing for prawns that night upstream of the Setiu River near Saujana.
After a few phone calls and arrangements, a team comprising 3 officers from the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), a cameraman, two journalists and myself arrived at the scene the next day at about 4.30 pm. We had to wait for Yusof as he had gone to collect wild honey. Finally he arrived and my goodness what a cute little baby he brought along. It was just 33 cm long from the tip of its snout to the tip of its tail. We confirmed it was the estuarine crocodile, Crocodylus porosus and not the false Gharial that has also been sighted in the Setiu River. The PERHILITAN officers took the life specimen back to their office in Kuala Terengganu.
It was a rare find indeed and probably the first documented crocodile hatchling found in the Setiu River. This means that both male and female adult crocodiles still lurk in the waters of the Setiu and we better be careful when working out there :)
The pictures show close-ups of the baby croc, the first scute on the single row of scutes that has been clipped for identification and Yusof and myself holding it.
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- close-up showing the open mouth
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- see how tiny it is
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- holding it with no fear
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- marking of the first scute
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- Yusof, the fisherman who found it
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- photo opportunity for Chan
Postcript: The following article on the croc find appeared in the NST on 13 Oct 2009.
Baby croc strayed by heavy rain
2009/10/13
SETIU: While the recent rainy spell left most children cooped up in their homes, this “child” has strayed from its nest.
The baby estuarine croco-dile was found recently at Sungai Jerang Hangus. It is believed it had been swept down from a nesting ground nearby.
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu Institute of Oceanography lecturer Sulong Ibrahim said: “There is a possibility other baby crocodiles will stray during the rainy season. But if you come across one, let it be. Do not keep it as a pet. It is a protected species.”
The baby crocodile was captured by fisherman Yusof Ghani of Kampung Beris Tok Ku.
State Wildlife and National Parks Department director Rozidan Md Yassin said the animalbaby crocodile was released back into the river yesterday.
