Zhaw — The crocodile handler
LANGKAWI: When Aungkya W Zhaw told his mother and wife that he would be going to Malaysia to train crocodiles, they asked if he had gone mad.
However, Zhaw, 34, left his homeland of Myanmar a decade ago to do just that.
Today, he is one of the six crocodile handlers at the Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi, a crocodile farm in Jalan Teluk Datai, here.
“I have been working here for four years now. I previously worked in a crocodile farm in Kuantan, Pahang for six years,” he told Bernama when met recently. Crocodile moods Zhaw said he learned handling crocodiles from experienced local handler Abdul Kadir Abdullah, 47.
“Abdul Kadir taught me how to handle crocodiles while I was working at a crocodile farm. After a year, I was able to handle the reptiles on my own.
“I’ve learned a lot from him and today we are working together here (in Langkawi),” he said, adding that Abdul Kadir has even lost his index finger on the job.
He admitted that in the initial stages of his career, he struggled to fight off the fear he had for the aquatic reptile – which is known to be aggressive.
“Crocodiles have moods and can become even more aggressive during mating season. You shouldn’t approach it during that time,” said Zhaw, who speaks fluent Malay.
Zhaw himself had been bitten quite a few times while handling crocodiles but did not sustain any serious injury.
The father of two showed the bite scars along his hands and arms but said that it did not affect his love for the job. No magic Zhaw was speaking after his performance with Bujang Lang, a 42-year- old male saltwater crocodile that is nearly five metres in length.
Armed with just a two- metre long stick, Zhaw and another worker pulled out the one-tonne crocodile from a shallow pool before the performance.
“We have to be extremely cautious and focused when pulling it out by its tail as we need to place it in a dry area before we start the show,” he explained.
After several “massages” on its body and head, Bujang Lang appeared to go into a trance. Its mouth opened about a half-metre wide, exhibiting rows of sharp teeth.
Zhaw would then put his hand into the open mouth of the crocodile for a while. It’s not magic When asked if he had any special “powers” to help calm the reptile, Zhaw responded: “I have no mystical powers. I am merely using the knowledge I have gained in calming down the reptile so that it wouldn’t act out in aggression.”
In addition to the performances, Zhaw cares for the crocodiles nine hours a day, six days a week. He feeds them as well as collects their eggs for safekeeping.
There are over 4,000 crocodiles at the farm. They are fed around 72kg of chicken in stages, seven days a week.
The pools in which they wallow in as well as where the females go to lay their eggs have to be cleaned on a regular basis.
“I have been doing this for 10 years now but it has never occurred to me to look for another job,” he said.
Zhaw says although the job comes with significant risks, the pay was worth it - enough to allow him to visit his family back home for a number of times. Good showmanship Adam Fuuad, the general manager of Taman Buaya Langkawi Sdn Bhd said Zhaw was a committed and fastidious worker.
Taman Buaya Langkawi Sdn Bhd is the company that owns the Crocodile Adventureland Langkawi.
Adam said Zhaw was one of the few crocodile handlers chosen for the performances because of his attitude when it came to adhering to the rules and prioritising safety.
“He has the characteristics of a good showman – he is very bold but will not go overboard for the sake of putting on a show,” he said.
Adam said crocodile shows overseas featured more daring performances such as handlers putting their head into the crocodile’s mouth.
However, he said, that was because those were Siamese Crocodiles ( Crocodylus siamensis), a non- aggressive species.
“Saltwater Crocodiles or Crocodylus porosus has a reputation for being the most aggressive species so we do not allow such acts here,” he explained. — Bernama