MONDULKIRI: Cambodia on Friday (May 22) freed 10 purebred Siamese crocodiles into the Srepok River within the Srepok Wildlife Sanctuary here in the country's northeastern part, aiming at recovering one of the world's rarest crocodile species.
The Siamese crocodile is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List as critically endangered.
Environment Minister Eang Sophalleth said the release demonstrated Cambodia's continued commitment to protecting the country's unique biodiversity and restoring endangered wildlife populations.
"This achievement highlights the strength of collaboration between government institutions, conservation organizations, and local communities to work together to secure the future of the Siamese crocodile and healthy freshwater ecosystems," he said in a joint press release.
Khvay Atitya, an undersecretary of state and spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, said the release was made following consultations and consents from different levels of stakeholders, including indigenous people and local communities.
"The released Siamese crocodiles include nine females and one male, and all of them are juveniles," he told Xinhua.
According to Atitya, it's estimated that there are fewer than 1,000 Siamese crocodiles worldwide, of which more than 300 individuals are present in Cambodia.
"Cambodia is considered a global stronghold for the species, hosting one of the largest remaining populations and playing a pivotal role in ensuring its survival," he said.
The release followed years of scientific research on species population, habitat assessments, conservation planning, and community engagement, the press release said.
In 2021, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Cambodia researchers documented the first photographic evidence of naturally hatched Siamese crocodiles in the Srepok River system, confirming successful breeding in the wild and highlighting the river's importance as a priority site for species recovery, it added.
WWF-Cambodia country director Dipankar Chyau Patnaik said the release reflected a long-term commitment to restoring the Siamese crocodile as a flagship species of Cambodia's freshwater ecosystems.
"By having more breeding pairs in the Srepok River, we are not only helping secure its survival but also strengthening ecosystem health and resilience for biodiversity and communities that depend on these nature resources," he said.
Fauna & Flora country director Horm Chandet said the release illustrated years of scientific collaboration and conservation investment to recover one of Southeast Asia's most threatened reptiles.
"Cambodia has become a regional leader in Siamese crocodile conservation, and the Srepok River program represents an important step toward rebuilding resilient wild populations," he said.
The released crocodiles underwent strict genetic and health checks before release, said the press release.
"All released crocodiles were implanted with acoustic tags for the post-release monitoring," it said. "The program follows international conservation translocation guidelines, including post-release monitoring using acoustic telemetry technology to better understand crocodile movement, survival, and adaptation in the wild and inform our future release." - Xinhua
