LOCAL Asian water monitors (pic) are being championed as a new “economic animal”, poised to enter the lucrative 7.6 billion baht (RM990mil) leather market.
The move follows a government decision that allows for the commercial breeding of the reptiles, which are native to the region.
The Kasikorn Research Centre reports that the government’s Wildlife Preservation and Protection Committee has approved a scheme for licensed individuals to breed the monitors, with breeding pairs costing just 500 baht (RM65) each from the Department of National Parks.
This initiative aims to unlock the commercial potential of the animals in three key areas: leather, medicinal products and meat.
The monitor lizard’s hide is expected to command a higher price than traditional cow or buffalo leather, with a single square metre fetching between 4,200 and 14,000 baht (RM550 and RM1,830). — The Straits Times/ANN
