CROCLIST: Flooding in Thailand Releases Crocs

[Ralf Sommerlad]

Dear Steve and All,

yes, this is unfortunately a correct press article. But also legal farms ( these are all pure raising farms, not breeding operations, most of them are keeping less than 100 crocs ) dont give any informations to the authorities, afraid of possible consequences if somebody got hurt by a crocodile. Thailand is currently under martial law, which makes things more complicated. Most of these crocs are subadult or juvenile animals, raised for skin production.
I visited the flooded region last week and witnessed the moving of crocodiles from a flooded farm to a safe place and later the hunting in them, organised by the Thai Department of Fisheries. The water level is someplace a couple of meters higher than normal, and crocodiles are now hidden in the tops of flooded trees etc....hard and sometimes impossible to capture alive. Many of them have been shot in the meantime. It is a very difficult situation, especially for the local people, and many of them lost their whole property,their health and some their lives in the heaviest floodings in Thailand since 100 years.

Best wishes
Ralf


> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: croclist at lists.gatorhole.com
> Gesendet: 23.10.06 03:47:34
> An: <croclist at lists.gatorhole.com>
> Betreff: CROCLIST: Flooding in Thailand Releases Crocs


> 
> 
> Crocodile alert as reptiles escape illegal farms in flood zones
> 
> BANGKOK, Oct 22 (TNA) - Thailand's Department of Fisheries Sunday warned
> that crocodiles bred in illegal reptile farms have been escaping from their
> confinement due to the floods encompassing much of the central provinces,
> and that the animals --unused to a natural environment -- may look for food
> in all the wrong places. An undetermined number of crocodile farms, both
> legal and illegal, are located in the flood-ravaged central provinces, which
> have been battered by severe floods this year.  The escaped reptiles are
> likely to approach humans because they are used to being fed by farm
> raisers, according to Fisheries Department director-general Charanthada
> Kannasut.The director-general suggested that villagers not walk or travel by
> boat in flooded areas at night in order to avoid from being attacked by
> hungry crocodiles. The difficulty in seeing crocodiles, though, is that
> their nose and eyes are visible only slightly above water, he said. At night
> they might not be noticed at all. Members of the public who see crocodiles
> at large should inform the authorities immediately, Mr. Charanthada
> advised.Crocodiles raised by legal farms have been moved to safe areas from
> the floods which are now ravaging several of Thailand's central provinces
> but the public, especially residents living near waterways, should be on
> alert for crocodiles that have escaped from illegal reptile farms, Mr.
> Charanthada said.  Mr. Charanthada said that crocodiles from legal farms
> have been relocated and are now being kept in safe areas. Meanwhile, he
> warned, an undetermined number of crocodiles from unregistered crocodile
> farms have escaped from inundated farms and are still roaming free in canals
> and rivers. (TNA)  - E 111
> http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=25553
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Croclist mailing list
> Croclist at lists.gatorhole.com
> http://lists.gatorhole.com/mailman/listinfo/croclist
> Croclist Image Website: http://reptilians.org/croclist/