A Thai farmer kills more than 100 crocs listed as endangered!

A Thai crocodile farmer, Natthapak Khumkad, decided to put down 125 critically endangered Siamese crocodiles to prevent them from escaping into the community after Typhoon Yagi severely damaged their enclosure

A Thai crocodile farmer, Natthapak Khumkad, decided to put down 125 critically endangered Siamese crocodiles to prevent them from escaping into the community after Typhoon Yagi severely damaged their enclosure. The farm, operating for 17 years, had previously weathered every rainy season. However, this year’s unprecedented downpours eroded the walls, threatening to unleash the massive reptiles. Natthapak, known as “Crocodile X,” faced an agonizing decision as rising waters and eroding walls put people’s lives at risk. “I had to make the most difficult decision of my life to kill them all,” he said, emphasizing the potential danger if adult crocodiles escaped into nearby paddy fields. Experts point to climate change as a driving force behind the increasing intensity of storms like Typhoon Yagi.

Warmer ocean waters fuel stronger storms, increasing wind speeds, and heavier rainfall. It highlights the growing threat of climate-induced disasters. Siamese crocodiles are critically endangered, with estimates suggesting that only a few hundred remain in their natural habitat. Despite their commercial value in Thailand’s lucrative crocodile farming industry, generating 6-7 billion Thai baht annually, hunting and large-scale farming practices have drastically diminished their wild population. Organizations like Fauna & Flora work to protect Siamese crocodiles and their habitats, collaborating with local communities to safeguard the remaining population. These efforts include community-led monitoring, anti-poaching activities, and captive breeding programs.