A Thai crocodile farm culled 125 of its reptiles, the farm owner revealed on Wednesday, to prevent them from escaping during the ongoing floods and posing a danger to the local population.
Natapak Khomkad, a crocodile breeder in Lamphun Province in northwest Thailand, explained to AFP that “heavy rains cracked the farm’s walls,” forcing him to “sadly put down 125” of the crocodiles he had been raising for 17 years.
To prevent the Siamese crocodiles from escaping into the countryside and potentially attacking villagers and livestock, the owner and his staff used electric shocks to euthanize them. Photos shared on his Facebook account show an excavator retrieving the remains of the reptiles from their enclosures.
The Siamese crocodile, which can grow up to 3 meters long and is native to Southeast Asia, is classified as critically endangered in the wild. However, it continues to be bred on farms in Thailand for its valuable skin.
The farm owner mentioned that he had requested authorities to relocate the crocodiles to a temporary shelter until the floodwaters recede, but his proposal was declined due to the large size of the reptiles.
