The critically endangered Siamese crocodile was spotted for the second time in a decade in Thailand’s largest national park, according to photos released on Saturday.
The freshwater reptile, captured by camera traps basking in Kaeng Krachan National Park near Thailand’s Myanmar border, was once ubiquitous in Southeast Asia, but its numbers have declined in the region.
It is currently listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
National park officials estimate that only about 20 are left in the wild due to hunting and habitat loss, but on Saturday the reserve shared rare good news.
The crocodile – never seen before by officers – was captured by cameras that slid out of the water before it stood under the sun on the river bank with its jaws open.
The footage was taken in December and is « proof that Kaeng Krachan National Park is an important conservation area, » he said
The crocodile is estimated to be about 3 meters long, he said, adding that this was only the second sighting of the species in the last decade.
« The Siamese crocodile is a predator, but it is one of the first victims of environmental corrosion. The sighting … is also proof that the national park’s environment is still pristine, » said Manoon.
The critically endangered crocodile is in high demand from poachers who deliver eggs and adult reptiles to farms in the area where their hides are made into luxury belts, shoes and handbags.
<! –
var _ase = _ase || [];
/ * Load placement for account: mizzimaburmese, site: mizzima.com, zone size: 320×50 * /
_ase.push ([‘1569569006’, ‘1569575925’]);
// ->
No. 2184-B, corner of Kysapnadi Street &
His Pan Pyar Street, Shwe Kyar Pin Ward,
Zabu Thiri Parish, Nay Pyi Taw
Ref: https://www.mizzima.com
