KOTA KINABALU: Although the estuarine crocodile is currently not facing a high risk of extinction, the effort to protect it needs to be continued, said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew.
She said the crocodile’s role as a top predator in the food chain in rivers and lakes is crucial to keep the balance in the complex web of life in freshwater and estuarine ecosystems.
“When a wetland habitat is healthy, the fishery is considered to be healthy too. Crocodiles can also attract tourists, and community-based crocodile tourism has been lucrative in areas such as northern Australia,” she said in her speech during the launch of the book ‘Opogi, A Borneon Crocodile’, here yesterday.
Liew, who is also Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, said the crocodile is not a popular animal due to its reputation as an apex predator.
She added that in Sabah, the crocodile was first given legal protection in 1982 and remains protected to this day under the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.
In 2010, the crocodile population was around 13,000 to 15,000, and the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Danau Girang Field Centre are currently undertaking a state-wide survey on the crocodile population along the major rivers in Sabah.
She said when completed, the survey will determine the extent and population demographics of Sabah’s crocodile population and determine the trend in crocodile numbers compared to previous years.
Meanwhile, the author of the book, Jaswinder Kaur Kler, said it took her a year to finish the book.
She revealed that the book focused on an important and protected animal found in Sabah and chronicles the life journey of a crocodile that lives in Kinabatangan region.
“It is our aim to see our readers gain a better understanding of these wildlife species and why it is crucial to protect and conserve their habitats,” she said.
The 88-page book is sold at RM20 each. – Bernama
