Residents need to be alert of crocodiles roaming through villages during floods, high tides

KUANTAN - Residents in 10 villages near Sungai Belat and Sungai Kuantan are advised to be alert for crocodiles especially during floods and high tides.

The eight villages involved were Kampung Sri Damai; Jalan Air Hitam, Inderapura, Kampung Razali, Sungai Isap, Kampung Belukar, Kampung Kurnia, Kampung Belukar and Kampung Jawa in Sungai Belat.

Pahang Wildlife Protection and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Rozidan Md Yasin said the areas near the rivers in Sungai Belat dan Sungai Kuantan were the reptile's habitat.

He said during the monsoon season or high tides, the reptiles would come out of their natural habitat.

"We advise all residents who live near areas close to the rivers to be alert and avoid the areas near the rivers during floods, do not try to provoke the wildlife if you come across any," he said on Wednesday.

A 29-second video showing a crocodile roaming in Kampung Seri Damai was uploaded by Pulau Manis Assemblyman Mohammad Rafiq Khan Ahmad Khan on Monday and it went viral on Facebook.

Rafiq said he obtained the video from one of the residents.

Meanwhile, Rozidan said the corcodile was no longer in the area when the department monitored the area.

"The high tides and floods will cause the river waters to overflow from the river bank and cause wildlife such as crocodiles to move out from their original habitat," he said.

He said activities nearby or at the rivers with high number of crocodile populations must be avoided.

He also asked the public to immediately contact Perhilitan at 09-5733 811 or its hotline at 1-800-88-5151, if a wildlife is spotted including crocodiles.