Conservationists in Cambodia have made a significant discovery with the finding of 106 eggs from the critically endangered Siamese crocodile species in a western Cambodian wildlife sanctuary.
Officials announced Thursday that this is the largest find in the past two decades, providing renewed hope for the survival of this rare crocodile species.
The eggs were discovered in Cardamom National Park in May.
Between June 27 and 30, 60 of these eggs successfully hatched, as reported by the Associated Press, citing a joint statement from the ministries of agriculture and environment along with the conservation group Fauna & Flora.
This discovery highlights the park as a crucial habitat for the species, signaling a positive step for their recovery.
The Siamese crocodile, once common across Southeast Asia, is now critically endangered according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
By the 1990s, it had nearly vanished due to poaching, habitat destruction, and crossbreeding with other crocodile species.
Cambodian Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth emphasized that his ministry is focused on the conservation and restoration of habitats for these crocodiles.
“The successful hatching of 60 eggs confirms that Cardamom National Park provides a safe and suitable environment for the species,” Sophalleth stated in the Associated Press report.
Currently, only about 1,000 Siamese crocodiles are believed to remain in the wild, with over 300 of them in Cambodia.
In 2017, researchers found six eggs in Sre Ambel district in Koh Kong province.
Later, in September 2021, eight hatchlings were discovered in the Srepok wildlife sanctuary in eastern Cambodia, further boosting hopes for the species’ survival.
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