Langkawi Crocodiles no Longer under Curse

 

Mutalib feeds just a mouthful, about 10 fish or so, to each crocodile at the Langkawi Crocodile Farm.


 Photos and story by Carola C. Reuben, Earthy Reporter


Kholil coaxes a one-ton crocodile out of a pool.

 Against the backdrop of mountains covered with rainforest, Mutalib feeds fish dinners to crocodiles in Langkawi, Malaysia. Each crocodile receives just a mouthful, about10 fish.    
Before the feeding frenzy at the Langkawi Crocodile Farm, tourists focused their cameras on a show. Udat the d.j. announced every crocodile move to the beat of disco, African drums, and the theme song from the movie, “Exodus."
The farm’s largest crocodile, more than 20 feet long and weighing a ton, made a splash hit as it was coaxed out of a pool by Kholil.

Kholil pets a crocodile while his assistants watch the routine.

Head showman, Kholil, stroked the animal’s huge head while tourists gasped, "o ! ay!", and his assistants, Mutalib and Khairul, again watched the daily routine (photo, below). There were 10 or so Thai tourists, a family from India, and a few white tourists, perhaps from Australia or Europe.
In addition to their shows, the more than 1000 crocodiles on the farm provide pelts and meat for sale. The crocodiles live among paths landscaped with banana trees, palm trees, and flowers ( photo,left, below), par for the course in Langkawi, designated as a “geopark" by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO.
Mostly green coveres the island, some 60% forest, mountains, mangroves, and shrubs, and about 20% agricultural land. Some 64,000 people live on the island, the largest one in an archipelago of 99 islands.

Crocs live in greenery of a UNESCO geopark 

This enchanted island was apparently cursed for seven generations by Mahsuri. The lady with “lips akin the sweet and luscious pomegranate ” was the consort of the sole Minister to the Sultan of Kedah in Langkawi, according to information at the Mahsuri Mausoleum.
Mahsuri was executed for adultery for allegedly betraying the Minister to the Sultan. When she was killed, she bled white blood, which proved her innocence, according to the legend. “Her blood, white as that of milk, gushed from her wound, leaving all of Langkawi in silent numbness.”
The seven generations cursed by Mahsuri have already passed through the island since she was put to death in 1819.
The island gets its name from a small brown eagle called langkawi in the Malay language; and now, small brown eagles glide peacefully above the mountains, waterfalls, beaches, and crocodiles of Langkawi. It is apparent that "Sumpahan Mahsuri" (the Mahsuri curse) has ended.
Copyright, 2010, Carola C. Reuben, Earthy Reporter
earthyreporter@aol.com