Damai Golf & Country Club

KUCHING: Beware of crocodiles!
This is not the normal kind of warning that you would expect to see on a golf course but it was put up by the Damai Golf and Country Club (DGCC) management after some golfers and staff reported sightings of crocodiles in the pond at one of the course’s holes recently.

The sightings were highlighted in The Borneo Post’s sister daily See Hua Daily News on Tuesday and this reporter who went to the site to confirm the report yesterday morning did actually see from a distance a crocodile swimming in the pond which was used for irrigation purposes.

The report also stated that a few crocodiles were seen swimming in the pond, with the biggest reptile two metres long while baby crocodiles were also seen ‘sunbathing’ on the sand bunkers.
DGCC general manager Major (Rtd) American Wayne said he and his operations manager had not seen any crocodile on the course for two years and as a precautionary measure, had instructed his workers to put up warning signs a few days ago to inform golfers and other workers of the danger in the pond.

“We have put up the signs and golfers are advised not to retrieve their golf balls at this pond where crocodiles are believed to be lurking,” said Wayne, adding that the reptiles normally did not attack people unless being threatened or were protecting their eggs and young.

“In fact there is a golf course in Malacca called A’Formosa Golf Resort where its Crocs Nine features live crocodiles at one of the holes. But don’t worry, they do not come into play unless you hit your ball to their area and try to retrieve it,” he said.

He said two years ago, a golfer did not heed the warning at this golf resort and was attacked by a crocodile while trying to retrieve a golf ball.

He believed that the crocodiles could have found their way into the pond from Sungai Tambak via the mangrove swamp recently during high tide.

Wayne said he would also notify the Forest Department and let them take the necessary action.
“Alternatively, DGCC can fence up the pond and promote crocodiles as a DGCC icon and part of the eco-tourism activities at the golf course,” he suggested jokingly.

Not long ago, a crocodile was sighted at a pond by a school in Bau and it was caught by the Forest Department.

In September this year, a wood gatherer from Kampung Salak in Santubong narrowly escaped from the jaws of death after he was attacked by a crocodile in Sungai Geluger while collecting firewood to sell to a nearby coal manufacturing company.
As a result of the croc attack, he suffered a large wound to his left arm and a chunk of flesh on his left waist was bitten off.

The top half of his left ear was also missing.
Meanwhile, members of the public who discover crocodiles outside their natural habitat or traces of wild animals can inform the Forest Department by dialing 082-348001 or toll free line 1800-88-2526.
Article printed from The Borneo Post Online: http://www.theborneopost.com

Posted by @pgabsec on 12:03 PM. Filed under Breaking News, Place of Interest .You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0