Fight to save crocs

Picture: J Holden

Cambridge Evening News, UK
13/02/2009

SCIENTISTS from Cambridge are helping to save one of the world's rarest crocodiles from extinction.

The Siamese crocodile, which lives in Cambodia, is at risk because of illegal crocodile farming. Demand for the reptile's meat and hide, which is used to make shoes and handbags, has led to virtually all of the population being wiped out.

In a bid to help the animal survive, the Cambodian government has set up a rescue centre, where about 70 crocs are being kept.

The plan is to breed them in captivity and then release as many as possible back into the wild, but first it is necessary to find out whether they are pure-bred Siamese crocodiles or hybrids.

Scientists from the Cambridge-based organisation Fauna & Flora International (FFI) are helping to establish this by DNA testing.

An FFI spokeswoman told the News: "If a suitable number of pure-bred Siamese crocodiles can be identified through DNA analysis, it will mark the beginning of the first ever Siamese crocodile captive breed and release programme in Cambodia."

She said the Cambodian Crocodile Conservation Programme was set up in 2000 when Siamese crocodiles were rediscovered in Cambodia by Dr Jenny Daltry, senior conservation biologist at FFI, and Mr Chheang Dany of the Cambodian Forestry Administration.

"Since the rediscovery, FFI and its partners have scoured Cambodia and neighbouring countries to establish more information on the status and distribution of Siamese crocodiles."

They have found a small number of them living in the waterways of the Cardamom Mountains in south-west Cambodia, along with other endangered species such as the hairy-nosed otter and the fishing cat.

The Cambridge team has to be careful. Fully grown, the crocs can reach 3.5m in length, more than 11ft.