Crocs spotted at Likas Lagoon in K. Kinabalu
KOTA KINABALU: Crocodiles have taken up residence at the city’s Likas lagoon, according to the latest sighting of the creatures.
Mechanic P. Immanuel spotted a 2m-long crocodile at the lagoon at about 12.30pm on Sunday.
This was the second time Immanuel spotted a crocodile at the lagoon about 3km from the downtown area.
“Just two months ago, I saw a smaller crocodile about 1.2m in the lagoon. It was dark-coloured unlike the one I saw on Sunday which had a lighter skin,” he told The Star.
Immanuel said he was on his way to his uncle’s house in Likas when he spotted the crocodile sunning itself.
“It didn’t appear to be bothered when I took photos of it. It continued sunning itself though it submerged and re-emerged a few times,” he said.
Immanuel said the crocodile eventually swam away leaving him apprehensive about going to the lagoon for fishing.
“I have been going there to cast nets or just angling but I think I better stop. The crocodile I saw was not fearful of human presence,” he said.
Sabah Wildlife Department director William Baya said traps were being set up at the lagoon.
He said warning signs would also be installed at the lagoon area to warn the public about the presence of the reptiles in the area.
A 1.5m-long crocodile was spotted by a state Department of Irrigation and Drainage employee at its pump station in the lagoon on Sept 25 last year.
Wildlife officials said then that they believed this was the same crocodile that had been spotted in the lagoon early last year. They had laid traps in the lagoon but to no avail.
Baya said catching the crocodile was a priority as the area surrounding the lagoon was densely populated.
Wildlife officials were uncertain where the reptile came from but they believe it could have been washed down during floods from crocodile farms in Tuaran and Penampang near the city.