Nakhon Sawan sanctuary boasts 8 Siamese crocodile hatchlings for first time in 7 years
Eight Siamese crocodile hatchlings were spotted at Bueng Boraphet Wildlife Sanctuary in Nakhon Sawan province for the first time in seven years.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said that some 35 crocodiles live in the wildlife sanctuary.
“These crocodiles laid two batches of eggs. Five from the first batch were hatched and another three from the second batch,” the post said.
It also said that this is the first time in seven years that hatchlings have been spotted, claiming that though the crocodiles regularly laid eggs, they rarely hatched.
“The discovery of baby crocodiles is understandable as the ecosystem is abundant and the weather is good, which has helped reduce stress among the crocodiles,” the department said.
The Siamese crocodile is native to Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
These medium-sized crocodiles are often spotted in a wide range of freshwater habitats, including slow-moving rivers and streams, lakes, seasonal oxbow lakes, marshes and swamps.
Though seen often, this species is still classified as critically endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as they are under threat from human disturbance and habitat occupation.
