(MY) crocs on the move in Zoo Negara

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New Straits Times » Features

 

Animal Kingdom: Crocs on the move

 

Loretta Ann Soosayraj

 

Sept 24: LORETTA ANN SOOSAYRAJ met Zoo Negara reptile house staff who faced

the challenge of transporting crocodiles to and from a crocodile farm in Malacca

recently.

 

WAS it a scene from the Crocodile Hunter or Crocodile Dundee? Meet the croc men

of Zoo Negara who don't have the comfort of having someone in the director's

chair to yell " CUT! " when things get too dangerous.

 

The project: To catch, restrain and transport a batch of crocodiles from their

enclosure in Zoo Negara to a crocodile farm in Malacca. And to return to the zoo

with a new batch of crocodiles similarly caught at the farm.

 

The exchange was to ensure that the zoo stock was made up of only pure-bred

estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus), instead of the hybrids with the

Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) that the zoo had.

 

" Having pure breeds of local species are very important for captive breeding

purposes, " explained Dr Abraham Mathew, zoo veterinarian and assistant curator

for reptiles and birds.

 

According to Dr Mathew, while there may be no necessity to breed these

crocodiles now, the need may arise in the near future for both education and

conservation purposes. To have an ideal stock in the future, you need to begin

with ideal specimens, which explains the exchange.

 

The transfer team, led by Mathew, was made up of reptile house staff. They did

not seemto be to perturbed about the task before them. Excited yes, fearful, no.

 

Mathew first briefed the men on co-operation and teamwork, and the need to

remain calm. They were told that if they were having second thoughts, they

should pull out instead of panicking and causing something untoward to happen.

 

With rope, gunny sacks and bamboo poles, the men in wellies jumped in and got to

work methodically, trusting fully in each other.

 

The water had been drained from the crocodile pool, causing the reptiles to

retreat to land, enabling easier capture.

 

There were nine crocodiles to be " hunted " - five males and four females.

 

First, the snouts of the crocodiles were lassoed. This was tricky business as

only the top jaw had to be lassoed - if both jaws were caught, there was a risk

of the animal strangling itself in the struggle.

 

Once caught, the crocodiles thrashed around a little, but soon calmed down. To

keep the animals as stress-free as possible, a wet gunny sack was placed over

their heads. What they couldn't see couldn't alarm them. When the men had a firm

hold, they pulled the crocodiles into a clearing to ensure that the animals

wouldn't injure themselves by hitting into a large rock or tree.

 

Once a creature relaxed, the men simultaneously jumped on its back and held it

down with their weight. One man positioned himself just behind the neck area,

another behind the forelegs and another behind the hind legs. The number of men

varied according to the size of the crocodile - the bigger the reptile, the more

men were required. The legs were then tied and the mouth was muzzled with

another sack, completely immobilising the animal.

 

No animal was hurt in the process. None was beaten into submission by the staff

who simply stuck to the rules as they had been instructed, and they didn't get

hurt either.

 

It just goes to show that if you are gentle with animals, and refrain from using

brute force, animals will not need to defend themselves by attacking what they

perceive to be dangerous.

 

In a couple of hours, all the crocodiles were restrained, put into the lorry and

splashed with water to keep them cool during the drive to the Crocodile Farm in

Ayer Keroh, Malacca.

 

On arrival, the now placid creatures were unloaded, had their restraints removed

and released into their new enclosure by the team.

 

Then came phase two of the project: transporting the new batch of eight

pure-bred Crocodylus porosus - one male and the rest female - back to the zoo.

Once satisfied that the specimens were in good shape and firmly restrained, they

were soon on their way back to the zoo.

 

Arriving in the city just after dark meant that the operation had taken on a

more charged pace. The team did not have the advantage of sunlight behind them

but they worked around it - taking a short time to release the crocs into their

new city dwellings. As the last crocodile slid into the pool, there was a

collective sigh of relief and the team clambered out.

 

The new crocs were home.

 

Exhausted after all that crocodile dundee-ing, but satisfied with a job well

done, they called it a day.

 

It's been several weeks since the transfer, and according to Mathew, the brood

is in good shape.

 

The energy and enthusiasm of the junior staff - some of them first-time croc

catchers - the experience of senior staff M. Ganesan and Roswan Abdul Majid,

good leadership and the seemingly unfettered bravery of the team as a whole

appeared to be the secret behind the success of the operation.

 

Fact file on crocodylus porosus

 

THE largest and heaviest of all living crocodiles, crocodylus porosus has been

known to grow to more than seven metres long and weigh more than 1000kg.

 

With a lifespan of between 80 and 120 years, it is also known as the estuarine

crocodile - it's usual habitat is estuaries as well as in rivers and lakes in

the lowlands in many countries including Malaysia. Scientists attribute their

wide distribution to their sea-faring capabilities and tolerance for salinity.

 

It has a large head and heavy snout. Dual ridges run on both sides of the

snout. Young specimens are more brightly coloured than adults, with splotches of

black on a light yellow background. The belly is pale yellow or creamy white.

 

Smaller crocodiles eat insects, frogs, crabs, small reptiles and fish, and

larger ones make snakes, birds, turtles, monkeys, boars and domestic livestock

part of their diet.

 

Crocodiles are falsely viewed as man-eaters although there are reasons for

fearing this species. Who does not remember the rogue crocs which make the

headlines sporadically because of the people they have killed and eaten?

 

The loss of human life has led to a degree of antipathy towards the species,

making conservation measures more difficult to implement. Often though,

tragedies can be avoided with education and increased awareness.

 

Although the crocodile population in some areas such as India and Australia are

recovering, there is less positive news elsewhere. Habitat destruction and

illegal hunting can be major problems. The population in Sri Lanka, for example,

is in grave danger due to local fears and attitudes, linked with habitat

destruction.

 

Unless more effective management, control and prevention programmes are

implemented, we may just see the extinction of yet another species in the not so

distant future.