Kampong on alert over escaped crocs

Kampong on alert over escaped crocs

Theresia Sufa, The Jakarta Post, Bogor

Not much exciting happens in Carangpulang kampong in Cikarawang
subdistrict, Bogor, but rumors of six crocodiles on the loose
have whipped residents into a frenzy of activity.

The excitement began last Wednesday, when a resident, Eman,
was preparing to take a bath in Ciapus River, which runs through
the village.

"I thought it was a stone, but then it started moving ... I
hit it with a bamboo stick and the crocodile fought back," he
said.

He called five of his friends and together they captured the
beast.

Later in the day they heard the 2.4-meter-long male crocodile
was one of seven crocodiles belonging to someone in kampong
Laladon, on the other side of the river, which broke out of their
cages and escaped into the river.

"The rumor is that the owner has promised a reward of Rp 3
million (US$322) for each of the crocodiles that is captured
alive," Eman said.

Young people from the agricultural village, armed with spears,
ropes and nets, now spend their days and nights watching the
river, waiting for the chance to catch one of the crocodiles.

"Now we cannot go in the river to bathe or wash clothes," said
Ponasim, whose husband is among those out hunting the crocodiles.

Cikarawang subdistrict chief Suhandi expressed hope the
remaining six crocodiles would be caught soon. "The residents are
restless."

Although no one has come to claim the crocodile that was
captured and pay the Rp 3 million reward, villagers are still
hopeful they will get paid.

Residents feed the crocodile chicken meat they buy with money
collected from curious neighbors who drop by to have a look at
the reptile.

The crocodile is kept in a simple wire cage erected in the
front yard of Jumah, the community unit chief.

"We take good care of the crocodile. We stitched up the wound
on its stomach and treated it with an antiseptic," Jumah said.

"We will not move it or hand it over, even to the
environmental management agency or animal conservation people,
without a payment ... We risked our lives to capture it."

I Gede Gelgel Dharmaputra from the environmental conservation
unit at the Bogor Environmental Management Agency told The
Jakarta Post on Wednesday officers had tried to move the
crocodile to an animal rehabilitation center.

"We tried to convince them that we do not have the money and
that it is our job to conserve wildlife, but they refused to let
us take it. The best we can do is send veterinarians to check the
wound," I Gede Gelgel said.

Enday, one of Eman's friends, made it clear that they did not
capture the crocodile for fun and were intent on getting paid for
their efforts.

"The crocodile stays ... The officers threatened that they
would come back and we could be imprisoned for five years if we
refuse to hand over the crocodile to them, but we do not care if
there is no payment," he said.