Indonesia villagers slaughter 292 crocodiles

Hundreds of crocodiles in Indonesia were slaughtered in a retaliatory attack by locals after a villager was killed by one of the reptiles, officials said on Monday.

The 48-year-old victim was killed by the reptiles after falling into the crocodile's enclosure at a breeding farm in Sorong regency in West Papua on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Following the funeral, villagers armed with various sharp objects, including shovels and hammers, killed all 292 crocodiles they found at the farm, the head of the provincial conservation agency Basar Manullang said in a statement.

Photos released by EPA on Monday show local residents standing over the carcasses of the slain reptiles.

The crocodile is a protected species in the country and their killing is prohibited by law and is punishable by imprisonment or fines.

--IANS

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