MoBay residents reject NEPA’s assurances about crocodile

WESTERN BUREAU:

RESIDENTS AND and workers in Montego Bay’s Freeport and Bogue communities are strongly disputing the National Environment and Planning Agency’s (NEPA) assurances that there is no need to fear a crocodile which was recently spotted near Bogue’s sewage ponds, as they dread potential up-close encounters with the reptile.

According to an anonymous source, persons who are employed there run the risk of an unpleasant meeting with the crocodile if they happen to come across it in the tall grass surrounding the ponds.

“We nuh feel comfortable sey we work in an area while the animal is there. Mi nuh know what might happen if him attack we,” the source told The Gleaner. “One of the times, mi see him over by a tree where the fence is. Him lie down and mi nuh know if him belly full or him deh sleep, so mi wonder if a dead him dead; but when mi look, mi only see him move him foot.

“The next day him (the crocodile) move and come into one pond, and him move from that pond to a next pond. I don’t see him from Friday (January 21), but him still deh ‘bout,” the source added. “It’s dangerous for the men who are on the ground. You don’t know if he is in the grass, and they might go towards him.”

Two weeks ago, a video emerged on social media which showed the huge crocodile slipping into one of the sewage ponds near the National Water Commission’s (NWC) offices in Bogue.

Another source with intimate knowledge of the area reported seeing the crocodile hunting for fish in the pond, although such activity would be environmentally detrimental.

“It look like him a search for fish and eat them out. The fish in the pond is to eat the bacteria and clean the pond, so those fish are not to be eaten,” the second source noted.

No need to worry

Despite those concerns, however, NWC public relations officer Andrew Canon insisted, when contacted by The Gleaner, that residents and persons who work near the sewage ponds have no need to be worried.

He noted that NEPA would have done sensitisation training for dealing with the crocodile following this month’s recent sighting.

“They (workers) would know, based on their training, to take the precautionary measures, and it is something they would be aware of,” said Canon. “My understanding is that based on the link and correspondence with NEPA, a lot of public education would have taken place to sensitise not only the workers, but the community, as to how to deal with these things.

“It is not strange, based on what I am picking up, to have crocodiles in that particular area and in other areas,” added Canon.

Those who are in the vicinity of the ponds are not the only ones who are concerned about the presence of the reptile, as Fairview resident Faith Thomas recalled previous sightings in her community, including one that was reported last year.

“Any human being with sense should be concerned, because I have heard of instances where taxi men have been driving on the road and have seen crocodiles trying to cross from one side of the road to the other. The report about the one that was circulating last year, that crocodile was sighted in the lagoon area (near Fairview),” Thomas explained.

Should not be ignored

“If the relevant authorities are aware that this cropped up last year, they should not put it under the bed. They should have it on the front page and ensure that they are on top of things. And it should not be ignored. I would hate to know that somebody is swimming in the area, especially in the lagoon or fish sanctuary, or even if somebody is in a boat coming along and when you look, you see a crocodile,” Thomas added.

Crocodiles are a protected species under Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act.

Under Section 6 of the act, it is forbidden to hunt the reptiles. Section 20 says that any person found guilty of any offence covered under the act, including the hunting of protected species, may be fined up to $100,000 or spend 12 months in prison.

NEPA has been conducting a population survey of crocodiles in their natural habitats, which also includes Salt Marsh in Trelawny and most sections of Jamaica’s south coast.

According to the organisation, one recurring problem it has to wrestle with is the practice of hunting crocodiles for their meat, which in turn threatens the safety of the crocodile population.

It should be noted that while crocodiles are often stigmatised as aggressive, there have only been four recorded fatal attacks by crocodiles in Jamaica since 1847.

Regarding the most recent crocodile sighting, while advising caution if the reptile is spotted again, NEPA indicated that the risk of encountering the animal should be low.