Following the Annual General Meeting, members and guests of The Sabah Society gathered at the Secretariat on Friday, 26th September, for a riveting talk by Dr Sai Kerisha Kntayya, Crocodile Conservation Officer at the Danau Girang Field Centre. Dr. Kerisha delivered an insightful presentation on ‘Buaya Sabah – Guardians of Our Heritage & Rivers’, highlighting the remarkable yet formidable presence of saltwater crocodiles in the state.
With both the patience and due diligence that she is accustomed to while dealing with crocodiles, Dr. Kerisha guided the audience into the murky estuaries and swollen rivers where these ancient reptiles reign.
Human-crocodile interactions are often misunderstood. Rapid development of human society requiring endless natural resources has inevitably caused us to encroach into their habitats, thus indirectly increasing chance encounters with these creatures who would otherwise stay within their habitat. Occasional floods can displace them from rivers, temporarily bringing them into unexpected areas, but these events simply amplify existing tensions rather than create them. She also emphasised that crocodiles naturally inhabit both rivers and coastal waters, and sightings in the sea are usually adult crocodiles simply travelling through their environment. Understanding these patterns is key to promoting coexistence between humans and these apex predators.
Yet, Dr. Kerisha urged the audience not to let fear alone shape their response. She stressed that crocodiles are more than a menace: they are survivors of an ancient lineage, ecological stewards of Sabah’s waterways, and, in their own way, fellow inhabitants of our shared land. Their presence, she explained, is not incidental but essential to the health of our ecosystems, helping to regulate prey populations and sustaining the vitality of our rivers.
The Q&A session that followed was as lively as the talk itself. Audience members raised spirited challenges to Dr. Kerisha’s findings, particularly on the difficulties of balancing conservation with the very real risks faced by riverside communities. Yet, rather than creating division, the exchange revealed a deeper consensus: that the safety of people, the livelihoods of those who depend on the rivers, and the survival of the crocodiles are interwoven concerns that demand mutual understanding. By evening’s end, the room carried a tone of respect, not only for scientific insight, but also for the lived realities of all who share space with these creatures, human and reptile alike.
Conservation, then, is not an indulgence but a necessity. Dr.Kerisha’s message was clear: fear must be tempered with respect, and precaution paired with protection. Drawing on the Australian model, she urged that we manage a delicate balance: safeguarding human lives while recognising the rightful place of crocodiles in Sabah’s natural order. To many in the audience, it was surprising to learn that humans are not part of the crocodile’s diet, and that in the rare event of a mistaken attack, the animal will often release its human victim.
The evening closed with a deepened appreciation for the complexities of coexistence. As Dr. Kerisha so aptly put it, to understand the crocodile is to understand something of ourselves – our resilience, our rootedness in land and water, and our responsibility to coexist alongside the creatures who have long preceded us.
About Dr. Sai Kerisha Kntayya Kerisha’s strong passion for nature and wildlife started during her childhood. She was always picking up insects, rescuing and caring for injured animals, and loved the outdoors. It was not too long before her parents noticed this and only encouraged her to continue to do what she loved best – to be with animals. Kerisha hopes to change the mindsets of people, especially in Malaysia, that enrolling in the field of conservation is as important as any other profession. She hopes that more young Malaysians follow this path with aims to educate children and elders on how important it is to protect the environment we live in today. More about Dr. Kerisha’s work, click here. Prepared by Vynn Suren Edited by Chloe Lee Mei Tchuin
Yet, Dr. Kerisha urged the audience not to let fear alone shape their response. She stressed that crocodiles are more than a menace: they are survivors of an ancient lineage, ecological stewards of Sabah’s waterways, and, in their own way, fellow inhabitants of our shared land. Their presence, she explained, is not incidental but essential to the health of our ecosystems, helping to regulate prey populations and sustaining the vitality of our rivers.
The Q&A session that followed was as lively as the talk itself. Audience members raised spirited challenges to Dr. Kerisha’s findings, particularly on the difficulties of balancing conservation with the very real risks faced by riverside communities. Yet, rather than creating division, the exchange revealed a deeper consensus: that the safety of people, the livelihoods of those who depend on the rivers, and the survival of the crocodiles are interwoven concerns that demand mutual understanding. By evening’s end, the room carried a tone of respect, not only for scientific insight, but also for the lived realities of all who share space with these creatures, human and reptile alike.
Conservation, then, is not an indulgence but a necessity. Dr.Kerisha’s message was clear: fear must be tempered with respect, and precaution paired with protection. Drawing on the Australian model, she urged that we manage a delicate balance: safeguarding human lives while recognising the rightful place of crocodiles in Sabah’s natural order. To many in the audience, it was surprising to learn that humans are not part of the crocodile’s diet, and that in the rare event of a mistaken attack, the animal will often release its human victim.
The evening closed with a deepened appreciation for the complexities of coexistence. As Dr. Kerisha so aptly put it, to understand the crocodile is to understand something of ourselves – our resilience, our rootedness in land and water, and our responsibility to coexist alongside the creatures who have long preceded us.
About Dr. Sai Kerisha Kntayya Kerisha’s strong passion for nature and wildlife started during her childhood. She was always picking up insects, rescuing and caring for injured animals, and loved the outdoors. It was not too long before her parents noticed this and only encouraged her to continue to do what she loved best – to be with animals. Kerisha hopes to change the mindsets of people, especially in Malaysia, that enrolling in the field of conservation is as important as any other profession. She hopes that more young Malaysians follow this path with aims to educate children and elders on how important it is to protect the environment we live in today. More about Dr. Kerisha’s work, click here. Prepared by Vynn Suren Edited by Chloe Lee Mei Tchuin
