A 1m
iron stake which was believed to be used by hunters was also found near the
deceased reptile.
“The
animal’s meat has changed color and no blood was found inside. Its skin has
peeled off into separate pieces. This proves that the crocodile died three days
ago,” Tran Van Bang, a biological specialist, explained.
The
reptile is classified as a critically-endangered Siamese crocodile (crocodylus
siamensis) on the Red List of IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of
Nature).
According
to experts, the crocodile is a female that was nearly 100 years old.
After
the animal was disemboweled, Bang put his hands deep into its abdomen to search
for something.
A
moment later, he disappointedly announced: “No eggs were found.”
“If
eggs were found inside its abdomen, this would mean that she had been
inseminated and that at least one male Siamese crocodile individual is still
living in the lake,” Bang explained.
“It
is likely that this is the last Siamese crocodile of its kind in the wild in
Vietnam,” Dr. Vu Ngoc Long, an ecological expert, told Tuoi Tre.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment
You only need to enter your comment once! Comments will appear once they have been moderated. This is so as to stop the would-be comedian who has been spamming the comments here with inane and often offensive remarks. You know who you are!