Crocodile park enlivens Tangerang

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The newly built Tanjung Pasir crocodile park in the Teluk Naga district of Tangerang regency, will only be open to the public on the first day of Idul Fitri holidays on Nov. 3, but its presence has already boosted local residents' hopes about an improved economy.

Located some 15 kilometers north of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the four-hectare crocodile park replaces the Indonesia Jaya Crocodile Park in Pluit, North Jakarta, which was moved out to make way for other development.

The park is currently a home to some 100 crocodiles -- babies and adults -- but there are plans to expand to 500 crocodiles.

It is located far from any residential area, but hectares of nearby shrimp ponds have become an interesting entrance view for visitors.

"Visitors will not only enjoy observing the crocodiles and various crocodile attractions here, they can also watch dangdut music shows, debus (Banten traditional martial arts) shows and other traditional attractions," park manager Suhanda told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

The park has a large field with a stage for music shows, two ponds able to accommodate a total of 500 crocodiles, three open stages for debus and crocodile attractions, a special section for crocodile breeding, plus a playground for child visitors.

Adult visitors pay Rp 12,000 each, while children's tickets are Rp 6,000, which include snacks.

The Tangerang regency administration has officially declared Tanjung Pasir village as a tourist destination, side-by-side with Tanjung Kait beach, some 10 kilometers west of Tanjung Pasir in the regency's northern coastal area.

"We welcome and approve the construction of the crocodile park in a bid to attract more tourists to come to Tanjung Pasir," said head of Teluk Naga district administration, Didi Wijaya.

Not only did the administration and local residents also welcome the crocodile park in the hopes that it would bring more prosperity by employing the nearest village's relatives.

"All young men in the village will be ready to help in providing security for visitors because the crocodile park will become a village asset," Achmad Yani, leader of the village community youth group, told the Post.

He said that the park management had invited local figures, including his group, and offered them to help manage the park, with a promise that it would employ around 30 villagers.

Meanwhile, Mu'min Abdillah, a respected local figure, said that he supported the presence of the crocodile park as it would help attract domestic tourists to come to the village.

"We also hope that the village will become known more to people and that the administration will repair and widen the main access roads heading to the village," he said.

But the specter of a large group of carnivorous reptiles living in the area gave some residents reason for pause.

"The crocodiles have to be tamed first, otherwise they must go," asserted villager Darussalam.

The park spokesman Emin Suhermin claimed that the premises has tight security and that all crocodiles would be tamed before entering the park.

"No worries ... they will not prey on local villagers," he added.