An Impressive Crocodile Show!

VIDEO OF AN IMPRESSIVE CROCODILE SHOW!

All of us know crocodiles as violent predators. Their big mouths with several large and sharp teeth give an impression that they can chomp and gulp a full-grown human in minutes. But not the crocodiles at this Show, they are tamed and trained; they are harmless and friendly. More than the performance of the crocodiles it is the daring performance of the personnel handling these crocodiles. They kiss the open-mouthed crocodiles, put their hands and heads in their huge dangerous mouths, ride on them, and make them obey their commands and so on, as you can see in the attached pictures and video. This Crocodile Show is at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo, Chonburi Province, near Pattaya in Thailand.

These are Siamese crocodiles. They are freshwater crocodiles native to Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam. The species is critically endangered. They are under constant threat from human disturbance and habitat occupation, which is forcing remaining populations to the edges of their former range. And people get rid of them by mercilessly killing them when they encounter them because they consider them dangerous and undesirable. But in fact, they are generally unaggressive towards humans; they may cause harm only when instigated.

The Siamese crocodile is medium-sized with a relatively broad, smooth snout and an elevated, bony crest behind each eye. Overall, it is an olive-green colour, with some variation to dark-green. Young specimens measure 1.2–1.5 m and weigh 6–12 kg, growing up to 2.1 m and a weight of 40–70 kg as an adult. The largest female specimens can measure 3.2 m and weigh 150 kg. And large male specimens can reach 4 m and weigh 350 kg.

Female crocodiles build mound-nests constructed from scraped-up plant debris mixed with mud and lay 15 to 50 eggs, which are then guarded until they hatch. After incubation, the female will assist her young as they break out of their eggs and then carry the hatchlings to the water in her jaws.

Though their strength has come down in the wild they are bred in several crocodile farms for human consumption, and this number is in several thousand and ever-growing. Crocodile meat is cherished by the people of Thailand, this is a new food discovered by them perhaps since the late 80s.  Crocodile meat is said to taste like chicken. It is considered a healthy and nutritious alternative to pork or chicken, as it contains less fat, lower cholesterol levels and a higher proportion of protein than the aforementioned animals.

However, we have to appreciate that every effort is being made to protect them in the wilderness.