Photo by Simon Hurry on Unsplash (illustrative)
In March 2025, conservationists released 10 young Siamese crocodiles into Virachey National Park in northeastern Cambodia, the first release ever attempted there. The work, led by Fauna & Flora with Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and local communities, brings the critically endangered reptile back to the park after more than two decades.
Key facts
Each of the 10 juveniles carries a small acoustic tag, picked up by receivers along a 10-kilometer stretch of river.
Fauna & Flora has now released 206 captive-bred Siamese crocodiles into the wild in Cambodia.
In 2024, 60 hatchlings emerged from five wild nests in the Cardamom Mountains, a 20-year record.
The Phnom Tamao rescue center also hatched a record 180 crocodiles in 2024.
Why it matters
Siamese crocodiles survive in only about 1% of their former range, so every new wild population lowers the risk of extinction. Restoring a top predator to a remote river also helps rebuild a more complete ecosystem.
Worth noting
The species is still Critically Endangered, with fewer than 1,000 thought to survive in the wild. It will take years of tracking to know whether the Virachey animals settle and breed.