Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Laos Zoo hatches 20 Endangered Siamese Crocodiles

In two years, or around 2013, we'll be releasing 20 of these adorable little fellows into the wild. The Laos Zoo has successfully taken part in a project to bring back the endangered Siamese crocodile. Hopefully this is just the beginning of many more positive projects to contribute to our world's diverse ecosystem.

The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a freshwater crocodile native to Southeast Asia.

In the wild they prefer slow moving waters like swamps, rivers, and a few select lakes. Their peak length is 10 feet although hybrids can grow much larger. Their biggest enemies are habitat loss and excessive human hunters.

They were believed extinct in 1992 but tiny populations were found in Thailand and Vietnam. Six years ago in 2005, conservationists found a nest containing juvenile Siamese crocodiles in the Lao province of Savannakhet.

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