Siamese or Fresh-water crocodile

Transcription

1 SIAMESE CROCODILE By Y. Siah Ther e ar e t.hree exi;;ting members o.r Siamese ct ocodile in Thailand and they a re to be found iu the ::\!orlh and South of the country. The two common species are th e Siamese crocodile ( Crocod ilns siamensis) and the Estuarine or Brackish- water croco lile (Crocodilus prwosns ). The l ast one is ve r y l' :.I. I' e w hile the Malay gharia l ( H.hynchosuchus) iuhabils SouLb 'l'hailanrl :111d Malay Peninsula. Siamese or Fresh-water crocodile ( OJ ocodillls Sia.mensis) The Siamese c.r ocodil e's homes a re in Thaihlnd, Cambodia and Indon E>sia bnt he d iffers f rom his n eighbours in that h e has a broad and sh or t snout consisting of fom ]a, ge scales behind the head, iris black ve1 tical and he appeat s t.o he an exclnsively fresbwa.te r spe'cie Lhl'iving in lakes and mar hcs. He measures from 12 to 14 feet which i.s eonside t ed to })o a large size at. present for this speci e. Fehrnat y ancl May a re t he pairing seasons. The female lays ao to 40 eggs in the first litter anrl aftel' she gets olde r 50 to CO eggs a re to be found concealed in tlte cl ry gr ass on th e marshy gron nrl of the a pproximate size of those of a goose, ancl invested with a hn.rd whi.le shell. t ip DLll ing t his inte rnment she becomes fierce' and atta(' ks her ri val. A specie oj' the crocodile from Paknampho in Norlh Th ailand was r eco rded by Luang Anan cl a of t he Thai Fish eries D e p ~L rtmcnt in 1932 as r eaching a length of 13 fe et. T have nevc t h earrl of thi s specie to at.t.ack human beings. Estuarine or Brackish - water crocodile ( 01 ncodile Fm osu.s) Resembling its co mpartriot in it s pale olive colnr, conspic i ons J~ :pot.tecl with black it DHLy be at. once distinguished by its longer and more slender snout, as well <IS fo ur teeth in each intel'ior jawbone of t.h e ad nlt.. by t.h e pres ence of only The present :rpecie generally, if n ot invariably, inhabits t h e tidal portions of th e

2 32 Y. STAH l"ivers, fr om whence it rlescends to the sea where it h as beet1 observed floating at considerable distance from land. 'rhis estuarine is partially of marine habit, It can be found abunrlantly in the lower courses of rivers in South Thailand and t.he Malay P eninsula. The record length for this crocodile is 22 fee t.. One shot in Bandon, South rl'ljniland by Mr. Wergini in 1924 measure j Sl/2 J'oet, whil e the olhel' one I bmnght alive t.o Bangkok from Nakbon Si rl'lutmmarat a lso in South Thailand in 19 L~f\ is J 7 feel long. 'l'his crocodile appears to he one of t h e most form.iilaljle memhers of its kind, hein g exceedingly prone to attack 1tnmn.11 llnin gs es p0<~ ially wh en the native goes bathing in the river. 1n South rrbailaud croeor'lil es fll'c two ways as follows: - frn]llently eaplured in ( a) l<'or t h e medium or small size, the natiye hnnt.s at ni ght by boat with searchligh t and shot gun. He harpoon s t.]j e rniclrlle of the tail to prevent the sk in J: r oru becoming spoil ed. In tl1e <lay time the crocodile hides him self in the n ra1 s by land. (b ) A la rge hook with bait. :1nd line, is laid overnight, in t he water and made fast, native fashi on, l.jy n hnnch of fin e cord s. These cords becoming fix ed between the interstice of the reptile's teeth, are S:1Ve< l hom being bitten throngh when it is captnrell. Malay Gharial ( Rhy?lclwsnchus ) This very long and slenrler - snout crocodile inhabits South Thailand and Malay Peninsula. The color of this cro codile is olive above with dark spots or bars and its length may he 10 to 12 feet. In habits this specie is probrhl y very simila r tn Lhe Indian gbarial. This gbarinl is known to the Malay as buaya-.iin.inlong, or long snouted r. mcodile. bnt it is a very rare reptil e, Qn]y a few have even h ear-d of its existence. This c rocodile won)(l appear to be essentially a fresh -water animal and 1t is saicl by t.he riat.ives to frequent the swamps and marshy lands on the banks of the ri~'e r. I have collected two Malay gharial skins from Pattani in South Thailand in 1935 and The skin s h:we bony armonr on the belly. '

3 Row.< of crocodile eggs and t.he t.wo newlj hatched around the author' s son An injured IJ]oot Brackish Water crocodile (C. Parow.<)

4 Albino, a specimen of C. Siamcnsis kept ar l'. Siah Farm The Indian CharioT

5 A number belonaina to C. Porosus, a nari e of Thai land, arc splashinfi in their f eed ina tank A 1 ]joor crocodil.:jrom Naklum Si Thamrat is be inn aliohcedfrom truck b) ' a team C?f coolies

6 _ The head rf a lifeless crocodile and the awhor' s son