TOMISTOMA
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In News
- The tomistoma (Tomistoma schlegelii) is a shy and unsociable species that typically withdraws from areas with a high degree of human activity.
- However, increasing human activities in their habitat are making them attack people.
- According to the study; in Indonesia, human activities such as oil palm plantations, settlements and illegal gold mining resulted in the declining habitat of tomistomaare and made them attack people.
About Tomistoma
- The tomistoma is a large crocodilian species native to Southeast Asia.
- It is found in Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
- It is a freshwater species and is frequently associated with peat swamp forests.
- It shares its habitat with two other types of crocodilians; the Saltwater crocodile and the Siamese crocodile.
- It is recorded as endangered species on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.
- It was primarily believed to be piscivorous (fish-eating), but, in recent decades it has been found that the species has a much broader diet.
- Tomistoma also preys on birds, monitor lizards, monkeys and deer, etc.
- Human-tomistoma conflict was relatively rare and mitigation of conflict might be possible without removing animals.
- The study urged cooperation with local authorities and communities to create crocodile exclusion zone and investigate the causes of human-tomistoma conflict.
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