2023 10 Saltwater Crocodiles Slowly Bali Java

Saltwater crocodiles are slowly returning to
Bali and Java. Can we learn to live alongside

them?
October 17 2023, by Brandon Michael Sideleau
This 4.6-metre saltwater crocodile was captured in Lombok after the fatal attack
in May. Credit: Bali Reptile Rescue, CC BY-ND
On January 4 this year, a three-meter saltwater crocodile heaved itself

out of the water and up the beach. Nothing unusual about that—except
this croc was on Legian Beach, one of Bali's most popular spots. The
emaciated reptile later died.
1/5
Only four months later, a large crocodile killed a man who was
spearfishing with friends in Lombok's Awang Bay, about 100 kilometers
east of Bali. Authorities caught it and transferred it to captivity.
You might not associate crocodiles with Bali. But the saltwater crocodile
once roamed most of Indonesia's waters, and attacks are still common in
some regions. I have been collecting records of crocodilian attacks since
2010, as the creator of the worldwide database CrocAttack. What's new
is that they're beginning to return to areas where they were wiped out.
Does this mean tourists and residents should be wary? It's unlikely these
islands can host anywhere near the same population densities as the
wide, fish-filled rivers of Australia's tropical north. And in Bali, it's
unlikely we'll see any crocodile recovery because of the importance of
beaches to tourism and a high human population.
What happened to Indonesia's crocodiles?
Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are also known as estuarine

crocodiles, as they prefer to live in mangrove-lined rivers. They're the
largest living reptile, reaching up to seven meters in length—far larger
than Indonesia's famous Komodo dragon, which tops out at three meters.
Historically, crocodiles lived throughout the Indonesian archipelago. We

have records of attacks on humans in Bali from the early 20th century
and across much of Java until the 1950s. Even Indonesia's capital,
Jakarta, had crocodiles resident in many rivers running through the city.
Crocodiles in Bali and Lombok were killed off by the mid-20th century,
and later across Java. But they survived in more remote parts of the
island nation.
Salties are now being regularly sighted in Indonesia's densely populated
2/5
island of Java, including in seas off Jakarta. At least 70 people are killed
by crocs every year across the archipelago, with the highest numbers of
attacks being reported from the Bangka-Belitung islands off Sumatra
and the provinces of East Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, and Riau.
Are crocodiles returning in numbers?
These incidents means numbers are increasing. But recovery may not be
as significant as it seems.
On many Indonesian islands, there's very limited mangrove habitat

suitable for crocodiles, and many creeks and rivers may be naturally too
small for more than a small number of them. Even a small population
recovery could quickly fill up the croc capacity of estuaries and creeks.
These crocodiles are the most territorial of all crocodilians. Dominant
males push out smaller male crocodiles, who set out in search of new
habitat.
To date, Indonesia's crocodile surveys reveal mostly small and low-

density populations. But even the arrival of a single crocodile into human
territory can spark conflict—and threaten the conservation of the
species.
Worldwide, saltwater crocodiles are listed as a species of least concern

on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, thanks to their full
population recovery in parts of northern Australia after hunting was
banned in the early 1970s. But in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam the
species is extinct.
Even in sparsely populated northern Australia, there's still conflict

between humans and crocs, though this conflict is comparatively rare. In
Indonesia, the problem is compounded by a massive human population
which puts pressure on crocodile habitat.
3/5
Where are Bali's crocs coming from?
You might look at a map and think crocodiles moving back into Bali are
coming from Australia. But there is currently no evidence of significant
crocodile movement between Australia and Indonesia. It would be a
brave crocodile to swim more than 1,000 kilometers from Australia to
Bali.
What we are likely witnessing is a crocodile exodus from nearby areas,

though we would need to do genetic analysis to prove it. That's because
the surviving croc population centers are much closer than Australia. For
Bali and Lombok, crocodiles are likely migrating from the islands to the
east, such as Flores, Lembata, Sumba and Timor.
The most likely source of Java's crocodile arrivals is southern Sumatra,

which is less than 30km from Java at its nearest. This area has long been
prone to crocodile attacks.
What does this mean for residents and tourists?
Earlier this month, a relatively large crocodile was photographed basking

on a large fish trap in West Lombok, less than 50km from the tourist
hotspot of the Gili Islands.
The spike in sightings and attacks suggests we're going to have to find
ways of living alongside these reptiles. The coastal waters and estuaries
of Lombok and western Java are now likely home to a small resident
population.
What can be done to prevent attacks? First, people have to know that
crocs are back. Increasing crocodile awareness and caution is vital to
save lives.
4/5
Some researchers believe attacks on us and our livestock get more likely
if mangroves have been destroyed or fishing grounds fished out.
Protecting crocodile habitat and prey species can both secure the future
of the species and cut the risk of attacks.
Does it mean you should cancel your next Bali trip? No. While
restoration efforts have brought back tracts of mangroves along some
coastlines in Bali, the sheer popularity of the island means it's unlikely
any crocodile population will ever be reestablished there.
But we could well see crocodiles slowly return to less populated parts of
Java and Lombok. While that may fill us with anxiety, they're a vital part
of the ecosystem. Crocodiles are meant to be there.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative

Commons license. Read the original article.
Provided by The Conversation
Citation: Saltwater crocodiles are slowly returning to Bali and Java. Can we learn to live
alongside them? (2023, October 17) retrieved 16 October 2024 from
https://phys.org/news/2023-10-saltwater-crocodiles-slowly-bali-java.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private
study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is
provided for information purposes only.
5/5
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

2023 10 Saltwater Crocodiles Slowly Bali Java

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

2023 10 Saltwater Crocodiles Slowly Bali Java

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

2023 10 Saltwater Crocodiles Slowly Bali Java

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Saltwater crocodiles are slowly returning to

Bali and Java. Can we learn to live alongside

October 17 2023, by Brandon Michael Sideleau

On January 4 this year, a three-meter saltwater crocodile heaved itself

What happened to Indonesia's crocodiles?

Saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) are also known as estuarine

Historically, crocodiles lived throughout the Indonesian archipelago. We

Salties are now being regularly sighted in Indonesia's densely populated

Are crocodiles returning in numbers?

On many Indonesian islands, there's very limited mangrove habitat

To date, Indonesia's crocodile surveys reveal mostly small and low-

Worldwide, saltwater crocodiles are listed as a species of least concern

Even in sparsely populated northern Australia, there's still conflict

What we are likely witnessing is a crocodile exodus from nearby areas,

The most likely source of Java's crocodile arrivals is southern Sumatra,

What does this mean for residents and tourists?

Earlier this month, a relatively large crocodile was photographed basking

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative

Provided by The Conversation

Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

You might also like