Kong Village to be an eco-tourism hub

Johor Published 1 year ago on 17 June 2023 | Author TIN Media
JOHOR:

According to Datuk Asman Shah Abd Rahman, Pasir Gudang City Council (MBPG) wants Kong kong to grow into a major global eco-tourism destination.

The Pasir Gudang mayor stated, "We intend to transform Kong Kong hamlet into an international eco-tourism hub by offering a sustainable, eco-friendly tourist destination where visitors can come to relax or carry out a study on the animals in Pasir Gudang.

The new crocodile sanctuary in Kong Kong, which is anticipated to be finished in 2025, is a tourist destination.

He stated that Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar Sultan Ibrahim would be in charge of the project.

Asman stated that once the new sanctuary in Kong Kong is finished, all the reptiles currently housed at the Pasir Gudang Estuarine Crocodile Sanctuary in Tanjung Langsat will be transferred there.

The crocodile population in the Tanjung Langsat refuge is increasing, so we anticipate beginning our foundation construction by the third quarter of this year, he said.

The largest crocodile at the current sanctuary, he continued, was 4.5 meters long and weighed roughly 480 kilograms.

Azizul Bachok, an assemblyman from Tiram, said that the Pasir Gudang Estuarine Crocodile Sanctuary would act as a hub for all information on estuarine crocodiles in Johor.

"The sanctuary will hopefully be a place to protect and increase the population of the more than 100 crocodiles that have been placed there," he stated.

A World Croc Day was recently held by MBPG as a part of their awareness-raising effort for wildlife protection.

When approached by StarMetro, Azizul stated, "The purpose of this is to provide a platform where families, especially children, can learn about conservation efforts in a fun and safe way, especially about how these types of animals are affected by their environment."

The possibility of extinction for the crocodile due to illicit hunting, pollution, and habitat damage was discussed in the awareness project, he claimed.

Families that visit will not only be able to spend time together but will also help advance the region's ecotourism sector and research-based education.

This program, which coincides with the annual World Croc Day marked on June 17, is one in which MBPG has participated twice, according to Azizul.

A seminar on crocodile anatomy, a display of newborn crocodiles and their eggs, a feeding and catching demonstration, and a petting zoo for other exotic creatures were just a few of the events held at the refuge.