BANGKOK – A crocodile farm confirmed Tuesday that it had to euthanize 125 of the reptiles over fears they would escape after floods eroded a wall in the enclosure.
“There are more than 700 crocodiles in total on the farm. We decided to sacrifice 125 (adult) crocodiles,” Natthapak Khumkad, who slaughtered the crocodiles yesterday in his farm in the province of Lamphun (north), explained to EFE by phone.
“The heavy rains caused the wall to erode, making it more vulnerable to collapse, which could pose a danger to the neighbors,” added the Thai.
Natthapak noted that the remaining crocodiles have not been killed because they are younger and smaller, making it easier to move them to a safe enclosure.
In recent weeks, northern Thailand has suffered serious flooding due to the storm caused by Typhoon Yagi, which arrived in Thailand as a tropical depression after wreaking havoc in the Philippines, China and Vietnam, leaving hundreds dead.
At least 10 people died in Thailand due to flooding and landslides caused by the storm, which continued towards Burma (Myanmar).
Thailand has two species of crocodile, the Siamese (“Crocodylus siamensis”) and the saltwater crocodile (“C. porosus”), both declared in danger of extinction in the wild, although there are tens of thousands of specimens on farms around the world. the pass
These farms use the animals to sell their meat and skin, as well as in shows in which trainers insert their heads into the reptiles’ jaws in front of tourists.