GEORGE TOWN: The crocodile, which was captured in the waters off Teluk Bahang beach yesterday, has been relocated to its original habitat at the Paya Indah Wetlands (PIW) in Dengkil, Selangor.
State Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Mohd Zaide Mohamed Zin said the crocodile, estimated to be between 30 and 40 years old, was believed to have strayed into Teluk Bahang from a nearby river about a week before its capture.
"The crocodile has been transported to PIW yesterday and officially released into the controlled sanctuary today.
"This is an isolated incident and no other crocodiles are believed to be in the surrounding areas," he told the 'New Straits Times' when contacted.
Zaide said the crocodile likely got lost.
"Cases like this are very rare," he added.
It was reported that a crocodile had been sighted off the Teluk Bahang beach.
Several beachgoers spotted the reptile surfacing near a hotel in the area yesterday afternoon, prompting fishermen and visitors to keep their distance before alerting the authorities.
It took two attempts to finally capture the 3.7m 'buaya tembaga' (estuarine crocodile).
The first attempt by authorities to catch the crocodile — using nets and assistance from nearby fishermen — nearly succeeded as the reptile was pulled close to the shore.
However, the net snapped under the strain, allowing the crocodile to escape back into the sea.
It was not until a second attempt that authorities successfully recaptured the animal and brought it safely to shore.
Paya Indah Wetlands, managed by Perhilitan, serves as a rehabilitation and conservation centre for displaced wildlife, and offers a safe environment for animals like crocodiles to thrive away from human-populated areas.
Source: crocodile-captured-teluk-bahang-released-wildlife-sanctuary-selangor