TOMISTOMA | IAS GYAN

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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.