Karen children nearby Petchaburi River (left) and Mr. Yao and his wife with a crocodile in his boat (right) Rationale Petchaburi River is one of the five principle river in Thailand. It flows from Thai-Myanmar border in Kaeng Krachan National Park then out to the Gulf of Thailand. It length is more than 200 km. Karen people ?lived with the liver in the center of Kaeng Krachan National Park for ages told a clue Karen people here lives with crocodile for over a decade. An evidence of Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) presence found in a photo of Mr.Yao Charoernsuk, a crocodile veterinarian of Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm when he came to catch a crocodile in Ponluek-Bangkloy area back o his farm (image above). The photo was taken since 1976 and Kaeng Krachan National Park has received it from a Privy Councilor, Sawat Wattanayakorn. Objectives - To study about distribution and population size of wild crocodile in Kaeng Krachan National Park to estimate its status for appropriate management of its habitat area. - To enhance identification skill of crocodiles? presence, sign, and nest to the national park research & academic team and other interested people. Progress In 2001 while WCS Thailand Program was during in a training of camera trap setting for tiger survey and monitoring in Kaeng Krachan National Park, a camera accidentally trapped a photo of Siamese Crocodile (below image). Compromising the concept of WCS?s Living Landscape Species in Kaeng Krachan National Park, it became the beginning of Siamese Crocodile survey and study project in the area. The first report of Siamese Crocodile nest found in 2008 emphasizes the significant of this study. A photo of a Siamese Crocodile caught by WCS Thailand's camera trap in March 2001 at Marakaenoh lower stream A nest of Siamese Crocodile found in 2010 Kaeng Krachan National Park has monitored and recorded the information of nest and laid of their eggs with crocodile experts from WCS, Mr.John Thorbjarnarson and Mr. Steve G. Platt before began collecting historical data by interviewing the local people (during August - September 2010). Then the survey started along the major river (November 2010 - June 2011) and in the reservoir area (during May - October 2010). The result reveals its primary distribution and density information (see table and image below) that we can estimate that there are at least 2 Siamese Crocodile inhabit in the area. Table: Siamese Crocodile survey result during November 2010 - June 2011Survey routePatrol Day Patrol Distance(km.)Sign detect(per 10 km.)other signdung A. Lam Mae Pradone November 2010648.4not foundnot foundB. Petchaburi River November 2010418.8not found 2 (1.06)December 2010635.11 (0.28) 2 (0.57)January 2011 5 48.5not found2 (0.41)March 2011 5 31.61 (0.32)0April 2011 4 37.11 (0.27)1 (0.27)May 2011 537.8not foundnot foundJune 2011 2 32.9not foundnot foundTotal31241.83 (0.12)7 (0.29) Map shows the information from interview of Siamese Crocodile presence (left) and Signs of Siamese Crocodile found during water survey (right) Collecting data at crocodile's nest Boat survey and signs record Boat survey in reservoir at night Evidence of crocodile' s presence Training about farm crocodile Articles from the field > Record from Petchaburi stream and the last hope of Siamese Crocodile Part 1 > Record from Petchaburi stream and the last hope of Siamese Crocodile Part 2
Karen children nearby Petchaburi River (left) and Mr. Yao and his wife with a crocodile in his boat (right)
Rationale
Petchaburi River is one of the five principle river in Thailand. It flows from Thai-Myanmar border in Kaeng Krachan National Park then out to the Gulf of Thailand. It length is more than 200 km. Karen people ?lived with the liver in the center of Kaeng Krachan National Park for ages told a clue Karen people here lives with crocodile for over a decade. An evidence of Siamese Crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) presence found in a photo of Mr.Yao Charoernsuk, a crocodile veterinarian of Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm when he came to catch a crocodile in Ponluek-Bangkloy area back o his farm (image above). The photo was taken since 1976 and Kaeng Krachan National Park has received it from a Privy Councilor, Sawat Wattanayakorn.
Objectives
- To study about distribution and population size of wild crocodile in Kaeng Krachan National Park to estimate its status for appropriate management of its habitat area.
- To enhance identification skill of crocodiles? presence, sign, and nest to the national park research & academic team and other interested people.
Progress
In 2001 while WCS Thailand Program was during in a training of camera trap setting for tiger survey and monitoring in Kaeng Krachan National Park, a camera accidentally trapped a photo of Siamese Crocodile (below image). Compromising the concept of WCS?s Living Landscape Species in Kaeng Krachan National Park, it became the beginning of Siamese Crocodile survey and study project in the area. The first report of Siamese Crocodile nest found in 2008 emphasizes the significant of this study.
A photo of a Siamese Crocodile caught by WCS Thailand's camera trap in March 2001 at Marakaenoh lower stream
A nest of Siamese Crocodile found in 2010
Kaeng Krachan National Park has monitored and recorded the information of nest and laid of their eggs with crocodile experts from WCS, Mr.John Thorbjarnarson and Mr. Steve G. Platt before began collecting historical data by interviewing the local people (during August - September 2010). Then the survey started along the major river (November 2010 - June 2011) and in the reservoir area (during May - October 2010). The result reveals its primary distribution and density information (see table and image below) that we can estimate that there are at least 2 Siamese Crocodile inhabit in the area.
Table: Siamese Crocodile survey result during November 2010 - June 2011
Map shows the information from interview of Siamese Crocodile presence (left) and Signs of Siamese Crocodile found during water survey (right)
Collecting data at crocodile's nest
Boat survey and signs record
Boat survey in reservoir at night
Evidence of crocodile' s presence
Training about farm crocodile
Articles from the field
> Record from Petchaburi stream and the last hope of Siamese Crocodile Part 1
> Record from Petchaburi stream and the last hope of Siamese Crocodile Part 2