125 Crocodiles Culled in Thailand as Typhoon Yagi Flood Water Rises

125 crocodiles were culled due to the flooding caused by Typhoon Yagi in Thailand which caused a wall at a reptile farm to erode, officials said. The crocodile farm in Lamphun province had to cull 125 crocodiles due to the risk of them escaping, all of which were already adults.

The cull of the 125 crocodiles was necessary in light of the deteriorating safety conditions caused by the storm that hit the region. The decision, although difficult, was considered the best way to protect the community, fearing that the wall would eventually give way and the crocodiles could cause some damage.

Why Cull Crocodiles After the Flood?

According to Natthapak Khumkad (the owner of the farm) who sadly had to make the decision of killing 125 crocodiles:

“I had to make the most difficult decision of my life to kill them all. My family and I discussed if the wall collapsed the damage to people’s lives would be far bigger than we can control. It would involve people’s lives and public safety. I had to make a decision in less than 24 hours when I saw the erosion progressed rapidly.”

Apparently, Typhoon Yagi, a meteorological phenomenon that, after causing havoc in the Philippines, China and Vietnam, reached Thailand converted into a tropical depression, leaving the north of the country with serious flooding and landslides causing the death of these 125 crocodiles.

At least ten people lost their lives as a result of its passage, which also left numerous communities affected, including the walls of the crocodile farm in Lamphun, who had to act quickly in the face of the situation.

The remaining 575 crocodiles have not been sacrificed because they are younger and smaller, so it is easier to move them to a safe enclosure, as the heavy rains caused the erosion of the wall, making it more vulnerable to collapse.

Why is There a Crocodile Farm?

Thailand is home to two species of crocodile: the Siamese crocodile and the saltwater crocodile. Both species are listed as endangered in the wild due to poaching and habitat loss.

As a result, there are dozens of thousands of crocodiles in farms in the country, where they are bred primarily for commercial purposes.

The Siamese crocodile is native to Southeast Asia and is particularly endangered, with its wild populations reduced to small areas in some countries, including Thailand and Cambodia. Meanwhile, the saltwater crocodile, known to be one of the largest crocodile species in the world, is most prevalent in coastal areas and mangroves in the region.

Although these reptiles are protected in the wild, farms use them for the sale of meat and skin, as well as presenting them in tourist shows where tamers perform risky displays with the reptiles.

This article was originally published in Spanish by Perla Vallejo in Ecoosfera.