A West Kalimantan resident lost half of his leg due to being attacked by a crocodile

A lanting is made up of a series of wooden structures that float on the river. Typically used by residents as a place to wash and bathe on the riverbanks, lanting can be found in villages located along the riverside.

At that time, Natalia had just finished rinsing her laundry. "After finishing rinsing the laundry, a crocodile suddenly snatched my wife's right leg," said Limseng.

Natalia was successfully rescued, but she lost half of her leg due to the crocodile attack. A few moments after the incident, she was taken to her home to be temporarily treated by her family and the locals.

At the time of the incident, Limseng was at his place of work, which is 45 minutes from the village. He was contacted by his family who informed him of the incident. Limseng was shocked to hear the news and rushed home. After Limseng arrived home, Natalia was immediately taken to the nearest health center using a speedboat, about 40 minutes from the village.

Natalia was treated at the community health center, given pain medication and referred to a hospital in Pontianak. That same day, Limseng took his wife to a hospital in Pontianak City to receive intensive care. Natalia has been treated at a hospital in Pontianak City and is being treated in the intensive care unit (ICU).

"This is also confusing, all kinds of costs," he said.

After the incident, according to Limseng, the residents in the village became cautious. They still seem afraid because the crocodile was large, possibly 6-7 meters long. It is even rumored that fences have been installed in every compound to prevent a similar incident from happening again in their village.

Crocodile habitat disturbed

The incident first occurred in his village. However, similar events have occurred in neighboring villages that are part of the Kubu Raya district. A few years ago, two similar incidents occurred in the neighboring village. However, at that time, the residents who were attacked by the crocodiles died.

Also read: Crocodiles have preyed on humans, but still need to be protected

The Dayakology Institute, a central research and development institution that focuses on issues related to Dayak culture, conducted research on local history and culture in 2021/2022. The study generally looks at forests, land, and water as the stronghold of Dayak culture.

Deputy Director of the Dayakology Institute, Richardus Giring, stated that the research results showed the importance of managing forests, land, and water wisely to maintain the balance of nature. However, in reality, the natural landscape in the surrounding areas of the villages has been converted for extractive activities. The villages in such areas are located around the Kapuas River.

Regarding the crocodile attack incident in Kubu Raya, Giring suspects that it was triggered by a disturbed habitat in the forest. "In addition, crocodiles may have lost their food sources," said Giring.

Also read: Crocodile "terror" continues in Southeast Sulawesi, the environment is considered increasingly damaged

One of the food sources for crocodiles is usually from animals in the forest that happen to be looking for water at the riverbank. If the animals are no longer there because they have lost their habitat, the crocodile also loses its food source and will look for food in other areas.

The crocodile may have lost its food source.

According to him, residents must be aware of this condition so that they can be cautious when dealing with the river. This is important not only to avoid conflicts between humans and animals, but also to prevent any more victims.