Locals asked to be alert of crocodiles in rivers Ayeyarwady Delta
22 June 19 - Source: Global New Light Of Myanmar - With the mating season of crocodiles on, officials with the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary have asked locals in Bogale, Pyapon, and Mawlamyingyun townships of Ayeyawady Region to be on the alert while bathing in the Ayeyarwady River. They have also advised them against letting animals venture near the river.
The mating season of the crocodiles is between April and June. They build nests from June to August and breed from September to November. During the mating, nesting, and breeding seasons, crocodiles tend to be sensitive and dangerous. Their heightened maternal instinct can lead them to attack humans and animals.
Crocodiles mostly inhabit the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary, and the mangrove forests near Kadone Kani and Pyin Dayel villages in Bogale Township, Pyapon District, Ayeyawady Region.
The administration office of the Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary issues an alert on crocodiles every year. "Nowadays, the sanctuary has caught tourist attention, who are visiting the area for watching crocodiles. If the tourism sector of Ayeyawady Region is upgraded, locals can get jobs and improve their livelihood," according to an official with the sanctuary.
In five attacks in 2018, four injured and one was killed. A woman was killed in a crocodile attack in June 2018, in a river in Bogale. Myanmar's delta region is no stranger to crocodile attacks, as they occur yearly. Meinmahla Kyun Wildlife Sanctuary is located at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River.
The sanctuary attracts visitors keen on viewing crocodile hatching camps and conservation projects in the region's mangrove forests — the forests are in a steady decline due to deforestation in the area.—Moe Sett (Bogale) (Translated by La Wonn)
