Immobilised: Head of state Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng and his wife Datuk Patinggi Hajah Norkiah at Telaga Air about 50km from Kuching having a closer look at ‘Bujang Selang’. It was caught near Salahuddin’s Telaga Air residence.

KUCHING: The biggest crocodile inhabiting Sungai Teruntum near Kampung Selang by Jalan Telaga Air have been caught on Sunday, and indeed its a whopper!

Weighing 620kg, the estuarine crocodile is about five metres long, just a metre shorter than the legendary Bujang Senang of Batang Lupar.

It is beyond what SFC officers expected.

The Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) has launched an operation to capture menacing crocodiles in the area after workers of a farm reported that their dogs have been eaten by the reptiles.

The area is also about five km from the personal residence of the Head of State Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng.

Acting deputy general manager of SFC’s protected areas and biodiversity conservation division, Oswald Braken Tisen, said: “We have captured the biggest crocodile ever in the river. We caught one that was four meters long last November.”

The huge crocodile was found inside a steel cage at about 7pm on Sunday by a worker of the farm.

It was baited with dead chickens by SFC.

The cage was partially mangled by the crocodile as it thrashed about trying to break free. Using one of their boats, SFC workers tried to bring the crocodile ashore at about 2.30pm but were unsuccessful. The operation continued at about 10am yesterday.

Among those who came to witness the struggle were Salahuddin and Toh Puan Norkiah, who did not miss the chance to get up close to the reptile.

When press photographers asked Salahududin what the crocodile should be named, he promptly replied: “Bujang Selang”.

“I have never seen a crocodile this size. There was one caught in this river but not as big as Bujang Selang. There might be other crocodiles in the river but this does not worry me or my family.”

It took 15 men about three hours to move the crocodile up the muddy bank and into a waiting truck. The crocodile has been brought to Matang Wildlife Centre.

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