Premilinary survey of estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus Porosus) nesting distribution in Setiu Wetland

Abstract

There are two species of crocodile inhabit the Setiu River, the Crocody/us Porosus ( estuarine crocodile) at the estuarine of Setiu River and the Tomistoma schlegel/i (false garial). The preliminary nesting survey was done at 2"d September and 15th February at Setiu Wetland River with two time sampling. The distance of nesting survey were 26.6 km, starting from Jetty Merang tiJI Penarik Bridge. There are three main river in Setiu Wetland that active in crocodile nesting that were Sungai Bukit Putera, Sungai Bari, and Sungai Chalok. Sungai Chalok have high number of crocodile nesting with 52 eggs hatchlings at 2006. Most of nesting crocodile were near the Nypa Fructicans and Melaleuca leucadendron. There are two types of nesting that are swamp nesting and the riverside nesting. The longest distance from the river bank was 34 meters located and Sungai Bari. The nearest distance from river bank was 3 meter located at Sungai Bukit Putera. Most of the nesting was unthreatened at Sungai Bari and Sungai Chalok. However the nesting were under threatened at Sungai Bukit Putera. Chalok River was the highest location number of nesting observed with 5 and second highest was Bari River. The lowest location of number nesting observed was Bukit Putera River