Siamese Crocodile
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Siamese Crocodile |
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Siamese crocodiles
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Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
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Crocodylus siamensis Schneider, 1801 |
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The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a freshwater crocodile native to Borneo, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In the wild they prefer slow moving waters like swamps, rivers, and some lakes. Most adults do not exceed 3 m (10 ft) in length, although there are hybrids in captivity that can grow much larger.
Due to excessive hunting this crocodile is a critically endangered species. In March 2005, conservationists found a nest of baby Siamese crocodiles in the southern Lao province of Savannakhet, raising hopes that this nearly extinct species may yet survive.
In the Bang Sida National Park in Thailand, near Cambodia, there is a project to reintroduce Siamese crocodile into the wild. A number of young crocodiles have been released into a small and remote river in the park, not accessible to visitors.
[edit] References
- Crocodile Specialist Group (1996). Crocodylus siamensis. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR A1ac v2.3)