Tracking predators to avoid becoming prey

July 20, 2011

A crocodile rests inside its enclosure at the Singapore Zoo March 17, 2008. Reuters picBORNEO, July 20 With human encroachment forcing closer proximity between villagers and the wildlife here, scientists are now strapping tracking devices on giant crocodiles to prevent bloody encounters with the deadly predators, The Times reported today.According to the British daily, at least 23 people have been eaten by crocodiles over the past decade, owing to massive jungle clearing that have reduced the availability of the creatures traditional prey.It is a very dangerous environment the attack rate on humans is extremely high. The use of land for plantations here has considerably decreased the amounts of prey available for crocodiles.This makes for a far more dangerous environment, and attack rates on humans near plantations are extremely high compared to those in forested areas, project leader Dr Benoit Goossens was quoted as saying.The Times said the project to track the crocodiles is being undertaken by a team of researchers from a research and training centre in Sabah, and jointly managed by Cardiff University and the Sabah Wildlife Department.The project on Borneos Kinabatangan River will benefit both the human population and the giant predators, The Times said.Already, researchers have begun trapping the giant reptiles, and one 12ft-long saltwater crocodile called Girang has already been fitted with the device called the snap nav which costs nearly RM6,800.The reptiles are released back to the wild soon afterwards, where their movements can be tracked using a laptop computer allowing people in the area to give them a wide berth, wrote the Times.We are trying to understand the movements of these large predators by tagging large males, which are potentially man-eaters. We are hoping to reduce fatal attacks by using our results to give safety guidelines for plantation workers and local vil! lagers.O ur results will also contribute to the protection of the species and benefit the local ecosystem, as well as tourism, Dr Goosens was quoted as saying.He added that the team hopes to tag at least ten crocodiles in the area over the next year.