Balikpapan. The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is recruiting crocodile handlers for Indonesia's new capital project, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan. Nusantara is situated near Balikpapan Bay, which is a saltwater crocodile habitat.

Basarnas dealt with more than 10 cases of wild animal attacks in 2023, including saltwater and freshwater crocodiles.

Kusworo, Head of Basarnas, plans to recruit and involve crocodile handlers to provide training for Basarnas personnel in Nusantara. 

"We might ask for help from crocodile handlers or those with the ability to predict the movements of crocodiles to provide training for the search and rescue (SAR) team. We don't want them to face threats during an operation due to lack of knowledge," he said in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, on Tuesday.

Basarnas plans to add more equipment and expand its personnel, particularly those currently stationed at the Balikpapan SAR office.

The Balikpapan SAR office has only 73 personnel responsible for the entire East Kalimantan region, including Nusantara. According to Kusworo, ideally, the Balikpapan SAR office should have a minimum of 150 personnel.

"The number of personnel and equipment is still very limited. Only 73 personnel to cover the entire East Kalimantan region. If we look at this composition, it is still lacking," Kusworo said.