ID :
191698
Wed, 06/29/2011 - 08:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/191698
The shortlink copeid
FIRST SATELLITE TAGGING OF SALTWATER CROCODILE IN BORNEO
KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), June 29 (Bernama) -- The Sabah Wildlife Department
(SWD) and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) recently fitted a satellite tag on a
saltwater crocodile in the Kinabatangan, an effort to monitor its movements to
ensure its further survival following the changing landscape emerging from
plantations.
SWD director Dr Laurentius Ambu said the tagging of this four-metre long
male crocodile named 'Girang', was the first of such initiative in Borneo, and
may possibly be the first in South-East Asia.
It was carried out in the vicinity of the Field Centre with the assistance
of the SWD Rescue Unit, he said in a joint statement by SWD and DGFC here,
Wednesday.
"Following the Human-Crocodile Conflict Conference that was held in Kota
Kinabalu in June 2010, SWD expressed a desire to carry out scientific work on
the primary cause for the rising levels of conflict being experienced in Sabah
large rivers.
"The tagging of a saltwater crocodile with a satellite device, is the start
of a long-term research and conservation programme initiated by our Department
and the DGFC," added Ambu.
DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens, who is also leader of the Kinabatangan
Crocodile Programme, explained that plantations caused a considerable decrease
in the overall amounts of prey available especially to large individuals.
"This situation makes for a far more dangerous environment. The realisation
of this is that attack rates found near plantations are extremely high compared
to those of forested areas.
"By tagging large crocodiles in plantation areas and in forested areas, and
especially males which are potential man-heaters, we will try to understand and
monitor the movements of these large predators," added Goossens.
It is hoped that the results will help in providing guidelines for
plantation workers and local villagers, in order to reduce fatal attacks and
contribute to the protection of this very important species for ecosystem health
and tourism, he concluded.
--BERNAMA
(SWD) and Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) recently fitted a satellite tag on a
saltwater crocodile in the Kinabatangan, an effort to monitor its movements to
ensure its further survival following the changing landscape emerging from
plantations.
SWD director Dr Laurentius Ambu said the tagging of this four-metre long
male crocodile named 'Girang', was the first of such initiative in Borneo, and
may possibly be the first in South-East Asia.
It was carried out in the vicinity of the Field Centre with the assistance
of the SWD Rescue Unit, he said in a joint statement by SWD and DGFC here,
Wednesday.
"Following the Human-Crocodile Conflict Conference that was held in Kota
Kinabalu in June 2010, SWD expressed a desire to carry out scientific work on
the primary cause for the rising levels of conflict being experienced in Sabah
large rivers.
"The tagging of a saltwater crocodile with a satellite device, is the start
of a long-term research and conservation programme initiated by our Department
and the DGFC," added Ambu.
DGFC director Dr Benoit Goossens, who is also leader of the Kinabatangan
Crocodile Programme, explained that plantations caused a considerable decrease
in the overall amounts of prey available especially to large individuals.
"This situation makes for a far more dangerous environment. The realisation
of this is that attack rates found near plantations are extremely high compared
to those of forested areas.
"By tagging large crocodiles in plantation areas and in forested areas, and
especially males which are potential man-heaters, we will try to understand and
monitor the movements of these large predators," added Goossens.
It is hoped that the results will help in providing guidelines for
plantation workers and local villagers, in order to reduce fatal attacks and
contribute to the protection of this very important species for ecosystem health
and tourism, he concluded.
--BERNAMA
