SIBU: The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has captured and killed a five-metre long crocodile that is believed to have devoured a villager in Pusa, near here.
Following the disappearance of Bentayan Ilah, SFC on Wednesday evening deployed its Swift Wildlife Action Team (SWAT) to Sungai Rimbas in Pusa to capture the animal.
“The team, comprising officers from Kuching and Sibu, installed 13 baited hooks along the five-kilometre stretch of the river to lure the crocodile.
“It was only recently (Tuesday evening) that our team managed to take down the 4.8-metre long crocodile,” said SFC in a statement today.
It added that a post-mortem was conducted on the reptile in the presence of policemen and members of the victim’s family this morning.
“We found body parts in the crocodile’s abdomen. The body parts have been handed over the police for forensic DNA analysis.”
It was reported that Bentayan, together with a friend, had gone fishing at Sungai Rimbas last month.
During the incident on Sept 24, the victim, from Kampung Tambak, was believed to have been attacked and dragged into the river by the crocodile.
In two other separate cases, SFC said its SWAT unit culled two crocodiles measuring 3.8 and 3.9 metres, respectively. The crocs were captured at Sungai Kawi in Bintangor and Suai in Miri, respectively.