Siamese crocodile

Over the past one hundred years, habitat destruction and hunting have eradicated the Siamese crocodile from 99 per cent of its historical range throughout South East Asia.

Only around 250 adult Siamese crocodiles remain in the wild, chiefly in the remotest highlands of Cambodia, particularly in the south-western Cardamom Mountains.

Siamese crocodile facts:

• Wild Siamese crocodiles in Cambodia feed mostly on fish and snakes, but also crabs, insects, birds and small mammals
• There are no known records of Siamese crocodiles ever intentionally attacking a human being
• Threats – previously the greatest threat was hunting Siamese crocodiles for their skins; now large scale hydro-power dam developments  and habitat loss threaten remaining key breeding populations
• There is a rich cultural heritage of crocodiles in Cambodia; stone carvings of Siamese crocodiles can be found on the walls of ancient Angkorian Temples

The award-winning Cambodian Crocodile Conservation Programme (CCCP) was established by Fauna & Flora International (FFI) in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia and local communities to save these Critically Endangered crocodiles and their globally important wetlands, using scientific research and activities that achieve measurable outputs.

The CCCP has begun an ex situ breeding programme and is initiating mitigation planning which may involve translocating crocodiles to safe sites.