A clutch of 60 rare Siamese crocodiles have hatched from eggs in Cambodia, conservationists reported Thursday, raising hopes for a revival of one of the world’s most endangered reptiles.
Five Siamese crocodile nests were discovered in Cambodia’s Cardamom National Park in mid-May, the country’s Ministry of Environment and Agriculture said in a joint statement with conservation group Fauna & Flora.
The nests contained 106 eggs, of which 66 were fertilised, and a total of 60 Siamese crocodile eggs successfully hatched between June 27 and 30, the ministry said.
“This discovery demonstrates that the area is a key habitat for natural crocodiles, providing hope for the revival of the species,” he said in the statement.
Researchers say there are about 1,000 Siamese crocodiles worldwide, with about 300 found in Cambodia’s forests.
Their existence is threatened by poachers, who supply eggs and adult reptiles to crocodile farms around the region, where their skins are used to make luxury belts, shoes and handbags.
Cambodia’s Environment Minister Ueng Sophaleth said it was a matter of “pride” that the country was home to some of the world’s rarest species, pledging continued efforts to “preserve biodiversity”.
Deforestation and poaching have decimated many species in Cambodia, one of Asia’s poorest and most corrupt countries.
In its rush to develop, the government has been criticised for allowing hundreds of thousands of hectares of forestland, including protected areas, to be cleared for everything from rubber and sugar cane plantations to hydroelectric dams.
Pablo Sinovas, Country Director of the Fauna & Flora Cambodia Programme, said the successful mass hatching demonstrates the vital importance of protecting Cardamom National Park.
“There are only a few hundred crocodiles estimated to be in the wild, and the emergence of 60 new crocodiles from eggs is a tremendous increase,” Sinovas said.
Siamese crocodiles can grow up to three metres in length and the only wild population remains in the Mekong River basin and wetlands in Cambodia, according to conservation group WWF.
They are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature
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