A species of near-extinct crocodiles have made a comeback after dozens of babies hatched from eggs in Cambodia.
A total of 60 Siamese crocodiles were hatched last month – a record for the endangered species in this century, conservationists say.
Environmentalists have spent the best part of 20 years trying to revive the numbers of reptiles, which were dwindling.
And they were thrilled to welcome the clutch of hatchlings into the clan in the remote Cardamom mountains, labelling the births as a “real sign of hope” for the future of the species.
Pablo Sinovas, who leads the Cambodia programme of conservation group Fauna & Flora, said: “Given their dwindling population in the wild, the hatching of 60 new crocodiles is a tremendous boost.
“It is hugely encouraging for collaborative conservation efforts – in this case, the efforts have involved conservationists, local NGOs, and the Cambodian government.”
The green reptile lives in freshwater and has a distinct bony crest at the back of its head.
They can grow up to 3m or nearly 10ft and were thought originally to be an extinct species.
Siamese crocodiles were once widespread throughout much of south-east Asia.
But decades of hunting and habitat loss means they are now critically endangered. There are just 400 of them left in the wild – and most of those are in Cambodia, but had not been seen in years until 2000.
Locals recently discovered five nests in May and the baby crocs were born at the end of June.
Sinovas says they have set up teams of experts and locals to watch over the crocodiles as they grow.
He also set up a programme to breed the crocs in captivity before releasing them into suitable habitats across the Cardamom mountains.
Local community wardens then patrol the mountains in regular walks to ensure the crocodiles are safe after release and thriving in their new habitats.
Since 2012, the programme has successfully let 196 Siamaese crocs back into the wild.
In May, locals discovered nests in an area where the crocodiles had not been released before, suggesting that the species have been breeding in their natural habitat of their own accord.
The conservation team then dispatched people to make sure the nests were protected around the clock – until all the eggs hatched, bringing 60 baby Siamese crocs into the world this June.
