In an announcement timed serendipitously to coincide with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) conference taking place in Bangkok next week, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Conservation has announced that it has made progress in protecting the Thai crocodile.
In a statement given yesterday to the Nation, Department of National Parks deputy chief Teerapat Prayunsit said that after pulling the species back from the edge of extinction in 2005, his department is now ready to release even more crocodiles into the wild. Already, efforts to conserve crocodile populations have resulted in the placement of 200 crocodiles in natural habitats throughout Thailand.
As part of a joint venture with Mahidol University and several crocodile-breeding businesses, the Department will now begin assessing river habitats in which to release the reptiles.
The re-release of crocodiles into the wild will help ease US sanctions against Thai crocodile products. US strictures stipulate that Thailand must bolster its population of wild crocodiles before it can trade in crocodile-based goods, specifically crocodile skins.
