REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PEKANBARU -- Five saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) were trapped in an irrigation dam for farming land in Kuantan Singingi District, Riau Province, amid flooding inundating the area, a local government official stated. After receiving a report from the Benay Sub-district authorities on Sunday (Dec 9), related agency had sent a rescue team to catch the notorious man-eaters trapped in the irrigation dam.

"These crocodiles emerged in Talontam Village, Benay Sub-district, as the Kuantan River overflowed, and they got trapped in the irrigation dam's water flow," Head of the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) Suharyono stated here on Monday.

The rescue team members had arrived on Sunday afternoon. They found that one of the five saltwater crocodiles was caught by several local residents and handed it over to the Benay Sub-district police, he revealed.

On knowing about this development, the BKSDA rescue team members had coordinated their endeavor with the head of Benay Sub-district, head of Talontam Village, and local police to catch the rest of the four crocodiles, he stated.

"The rescue team has, so far, secured one crocodile that the people caught. It will then be moved to the Kasang Kulim Zoo for care. We want to ensure the exact number of crocodiles reportedly trapped and that should be evacuated," Suharyono stated.

The BKSDA has coordinated with the Kasang Kulim Zoo authorities to care for the caught crocodile, as a suitable cage and pond had yet to be provided for this aquatic reptile, he noted. Hence, the crocodile will first be rehabilitated at a BKSDA partner or be released into its natural habitat, he noted.

These saltwater crocodiles are found in the "freshwater regions of eastern India, Southeast Asia, and northern Australia."

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