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'Blood was flowing out': Why Indonesia has world's most crocodile attacks, with fatal cases rising in this hotspot

Indonesia has more crocodile attacks on humans than any other country in the world. In one of the country’s hotspots, illegal tin mining has fuelled the conflict.

'Blood was flowing out': Why Indonesia has world's most crocodile attacks, with fatal cases rising in this hotspot

Saltwater crocodiles are the largest of all crocodile species. (Photo: CNA/Danang Wisanggeni)

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PANGKALPINANG, Bangka: He used to be a pepper farmer but turned to illegal tin mining more than 15 years ago when he could not make a living from the crop.

One day in 2013, Lahmudin was done with work for the day near an estuary. He hopped on a small wooden boat to head home but midway through the journey, a crocodile leapt onto the vessel and attacked him.

“He first attacked me here,” said Lahmudin, showing CNA his right thigh. 

“But I fought back and, instead, it jumped onto my left thigh,” the 40-year-old added. “It hurt so bad. Blood was flowing out of my thighs.”

The attack left Lahmudin paralysed for a month and he has scars from the encounter, but is lucky to have survived it.

Tin miner Lahmudin survived a crocodile attack more than 10 years ago. (Photo: CNA/Danang Wisanggeni)

Indonesia has more yearly crocodile attacks on humans than any other country in the world, according to The Crocodile Foundation, a United States-based non-profit for the protection and preservation of crocodilians, an order of reptiles that also includes alligators, caimans and gharials.

Over 1,000 attacks have taken place in Indonesia in the 10 years to 2023, leading to 486 deaths, according to the CrocAttack, a worldwide database.

Lahmudin’s province of Bangka-Belitung in southeastern Sumatra was one of three provinces with the highest number of attacks, alongside East Nusa Tenggara and East Kalimantan, according to a study published in April 2023 in the journal Biological Conservation

On Bangka island, attacks have increased in the past six years, said environmentalist Langka Sani, the founder of Pangkalpinang-based Alobi Foundation, an animal rescue organisation.

“More than 60 people have died since 2016 (in Bangka), but it has increased significantly in the past six years,” said Langka. In 2024, Alobi recorded 10 deaths up until November.

“Compared to 2016 (when Alobi Foundation started collecting data), it is very significant.” 

WHY CONFLICTS BETWEEN HUMANS AND CROCODILES ARE RISING

In order to address crocodile attacks, however, there is a need to look at humans’ impact on the environment in Bangka, experts say.

“The conflicts (between humans and crocodiles) increase as the habitat of the crocodiles becomes more destroyed. This is a time bomb,” said Langka.

Bangka island is rich in tin, a crucial component in electronics such as mobile phones. Major brands such as Apple and Samsung were reported to have obtained tin from Bangka. 

Indonesia was the world’s third-largest tin producer in 2023 after China and Myanmar, according to data gathering website Statista. 

Tin mining threatens the habitat of saltwater crocodiles. (Photo: CNA/Danang Wisanggeni)

Bangka contributes 90 per cent to national tin production, according to Indonesia's ministry of energy and mineral resources.

For years, tin mining in Bangka was done by state-owned enterprise PT Timah, but for more than a decade, illegal mining has been rampant.

Small-scale miners may mine in areas designated for other uses, such as protected forest areas or concessions of companies that are in the midst of being reclaimed.

“We know illegal mines are rampant – behind a school, near office buildings, so it’s everywhere,” said Langka.

“Estuarine crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) live near estuaries. They are not in the sea and not in deep rivers. The crocodiles will be disturbed when illegal mining is done near estuaries.”

Estuarine crocodiles, also known as saltwater crocodiles, are the largest of all crocodile species and can grow up to 7m in length and weigh almost 1,000kg.  

They are very sensitive to sound, said Langka. 

“If there are many illegal mining (sites), the sounds will make them feel stressed, and they will try to fight or migrate.

“Sometimes they attack the illegal miners or migrate downstream, but when they find a new place, there are already other crocodiles.”

Langka Sani is the founder of Pangkalpinang-based Alobi Foundation, an animal rescue organisation. (Photo: CNA/Danang Wisanggeni)

The crocodiles, he noted, would fight over territory and some would end up in urban areas.

There are about 97 rivers in Bangka and many wind through towns and even Pangkalpinang, the capital of Bangka Belitung province. 

With their bodies largely submerged in water – especially water made murky by the dredging involved in tin mining – the crocodiles can be hard to spot.

Tin mining has also extended from land to offshore in recent years, and Langka pointed out that Bangka’s rivers are now mostly damaged. 

Sedimentation has drastically reduced the flow of some rivers and can affect coral reefs – which provide shelter, breeding grounds, nurseries and food to fish – and prevent crabs and shrimp eggs from being abundant, shrinking the food supply of the crocodiles. 

"Humans are not (typically on) the food menu of crocodiles. But to survive, they have no choice but to look for food, so they start attacking people. Sometimes, they attack as a form of resistance, not to hunt for food,” said Langka.

RETALIATION AND RESCUE

After a crocodile attack in a community, residents may try to catch or kill the crocodile in question to protect themselves, and may be unwilling to let Alobi rescue it, according to Endi Yusuf, its rescue manager. 

If Alobi arrives at the scene to find an injured reptile, “the chance for the crocodile to survive is very slim”, said Endi. 

“They may die when we rescue them,” he added.

"Crocodiles are protected by law and should not be caught, hunted or killed, despite the high level of conflict in Bangka.”

Alobi Foundation focuses on wildlife rescue and conservation. (Photo: CNA/Danang Wisanggeni)

Despite revenge killings and changes to their habitats, the population of crocodiles in Bangka is believed to be stable, and Langka believes it may even be increasing although no data is available on how many saltwater crocodiles live on the island. 

The saltwater crocodile is classified as a species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with an estimated 500,000 mature animals in the world. It can also be found in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Australia.

Bangka’s government is aware of the problem, and its natural resources conservation agency (BKSDA) has tried to stop the crocodiles from attacking humans. 

Dedi Susanto, head of the BKSDA conservation unit, told CNA that its staff continuously inform people near rivers to be vigilant. 

It also works with Alobi and the local search and rescue agency to identify areas with potential human and crocodile conflicts. 

There are an estimated 500,000 mature saltwater crocodiles in the world. (Photo: CNA/Danang Wisanggeni)

When people spot a crocodile in their neighbourhood and inform BKSDA, it would inform the local search and rescue agency or Alobi to help catch the reptile. 

Alobi also catches crocodiles if it receives reports from the public. 

A team of about five people will try to catch the crocodile and then send it to Alobi’s conservation centre.

It is no easy task. “They are predatory, so we really need to be careful,” said Endi. 

“Every time we want to catch a crocodile – a rescue mission, we call it – there are many obstacles … we have limited staff. And we have limited facilities,” he added. 

Alobi’s enclosure, which can house about 30 crocodiles, is currently home to 18, said Endi, who hopes the government can help fund a bigger enclosure for the crocodiles.

Relocating them elsewhere in the wild is not feasible because of the lack of options that are far enough from humans. 

REAL SOLUTIONS NEEDED

Dedi from BKSDA believes the real solution is to create alternative livelihoods and stop illegal mining. 

“If (people) are prosperous, they would not destroy the environment, and the crocodiles can also live peacefully without disturbing people,” said Dedi. 

Tin mining is the primary profession in Bangka, an island of about 1.1 million people where about 80 per cent of the population are miners. 

As long as people are still mining and destroying the environment, the animals will be disturbed, said Dedi.

“So the long-term solution is to stop illegal mining and (destruction of) the environment,” he said. “The law should also be enforced.”

Lahmudin, meanwhile, is still working as a miner but has moved to a different district. 

“I am afraid that I could be attacked by a crocodile, even in this newer spot,” said Lahmudin, who earns about US$10 daily. 

“But I have no other option. There is no other job available,” he said. “I just try to avoid going through waterways as much as possible."

Source: CNA/ks(cc)
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