State minister says action needed to protect industry reputation as deadline looms for illegal operators in Semporna. – NSTP/Mohd Adam Arinin
KOTA KINABALU: There were minimal permits application from the public to hunt crocodiles, said Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Jafry Ariffin.
In August 2022, he had announced that the state has started issuing crocodile hunting licences for local usage or for breeding at the farms statewide.
"The Ministry, through the Wildlife Department, allows applications to eliminate such threats, but only with a permit.
"This is to ensure that there is no uncontrolled hunting or killing of wildlife.
"However, there are not many (applications). Usually, the department itself takes action based on complaints received," he told the media after flagging off participants of inaugural Borneo International Stand-UP Paddle Marathon here.
Prior to Raya Aidilifitri, a father watched in horror as his 28-year-old son was snatched by crocodile on fishing trip in Kinabatangan.
Jafry said there are increasingly interaction between the wildlife and humans due to habitat changes such as deforestation affecting their food sources.
"Sabah Wildlife Department remains vigilant and will take appropriate action to ensure public safety," he said.
Meanwhile, the Wildlife department had recently joined in a two-year project to mitigate human-crocodile conflict in rivers and waterways across Sabah.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/02/1385594/project-launched-address-human-crocodile-conflict-sabah
The initiative is a collaboration with the Danau Girang Field Centre, with funding from Yayasan Hasanah.
Instead of resorting to crocodile killing, the project adopts a community-centred approach that includes physical safety measures in high-risk areas, crocodile population monitoring, and greater public awareness and education.
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