Rare Siamese crocodile spotted frolicking in Kaeng Krachan National Park
A rare adult Siamese crocodile was spotted in Phetchaburi’s Kaeng Krachan National Park by rangers recently.
The park’s chief Itthiphol Thaikamol said on Friday the rangers took photographs of the crocodile sunbathing on the sandy bank of the 35-kilometre creek that runs through the park.
Every month, rangers get on a raft and travel downstream to set up cameras to survey wildlife. This trip can take up to five days and the latest wrapped up on February 20.
“This is an endangered animal, and its sighting in Kaeng Krachan is extremely rare,” Itthiphol said.
“They also spotted other wild animals like sun bears, deer, banded linsang, yellow-throated marten and otters.”
The Siamese crocodile has been classified as a species threatened with extinction by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). They are native to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Kalimantan, Java and Sumatra. An adult Siamese crocodile can be up to four metres long and usually lays eggs in May on a sandy riverbank. Like most freshwater crocodiles, they are lone hunters and live on small fry. Siamese crocodiles do not attack humans unless threatened or hungry.
Itthiphol said the Siamese crocodiles are wild and very different from crocodiles raised in farms, which are often cross-bred.
“Apart from the rare crocodile, Kang Krachan National Park has also seen an increased number of tigers, which are also on the endangered list. This means the park’s ecosystem has been improving, so rare animals are starting to multiply,” he added.
