Rare freshwater crocodile hatchlings spotted at Thailand’s largest wetland

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Rare freshwater crocodile hatchlings spotted at Thailand’s largest wetland | Thaiger

Wildlife officers have spotted baby freshwater crocodiles at Bueng Boraphet in Nakhon Sawan province, Thailand’s largest freshwater wetland, a rare sight for a species that is critically endangered in the wild.

Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation shared the news along with photographs that officers at the Bueng Boraphet Non-Hunting Area took of the hatchlings.

The department used the occasion to describe a side of crocodiles that few people see. Most people picture them as fearsome predators, but mothers are highly protective and gentle with their young. When the eggs hatch, the mother carries each hatchling in her mouth, using the same powerful jaws that defend the nest, and releases it gently into the water.

A Siamese crocodile hatchling resting on the bank among grass at Bueng Boraphet in Nakhon Sawan

Crocodiles also help keep the wetland healthy, the department said. As apex predators they control the numbers of other animals and remove the sick and weak. As scavengers they eat carcasses, which keeps the water clean.

Bueng Boraphet is a haven for birdwatchers as well as crocodiles. The department said the best time to visit is the cool season, from November to February, when flocks of ducks and migratory birds arrive. The other highlight is a boat trip to see the red lotus fields in bloom.

For the best experience, the department suggested arriving between 6am and 9.30am, when the air is cooler, the light is soft and the lotus flowers are fully open.

The freshwater crocodile, known as the Siamese crocodile, is one of the most endangered crocodiles in the world. Conservationists once believed the species had all but vanished from the wild in Thailand, which makes the appearance of naturally hatched young in a wild wetland an encouraging sign for conservation.

A baby freshwater crocodile swimming in the shallows at Bueng Boraphet wetland Two Siamese crocodile hatchlings resting on the head of an adult crocodile in the water A hatchling perched on an adult crocodile as it moves through the water at Bueng Boraphet A young Siamese crocodile raising its head above the grass at the water's edge