Wildlife researchers in Thailand confirmed the sighting of a false gharial in the Tak Bai peat swamp forest. This freshwater crocodile was feared extinct until definitive proof was obtained via remote cameras, as Pattaya Mail reported.
A 3-meter (9.8-foot) specimen was first filmed by a resident in January, prompting conservation action. During follow-up field surveys conducted by the Hala-Bala Wildlife Research Station, another crocodile measuring around 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) was found, which led the researchers to believe that there is a functioning population.
The false gharial is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, meaning fewer than 2,500 individuals remain across all known habitats. They are historically indigenous to Malaysia, Southern Thailand, and Indonesia but are almost invisible in the wild because of habitat loss.
Their population was threatened by intense hunting in the 20th century and by habitat destruction from dam construction and deforestation, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Many of these reptiles were also killed by accident or carelessness, getting caught in fishing nets or ingesting toxins meant for fish.
This photographic evidence is the first proof of the species since the 1970s and indicates the swamp forest's ecosystem is in recovery. Wildlife Conservation Office Director Sukhee Boonsrang told Pattaya Mail that it proves the wetlands are a "final stronghold" for the false gharial and that authorities will upgrade a Smart Patrol operation and launch a collaborative research initiative with nearby communities.
Sometimes, just one sighting of an endangered species can launch rehabilitation and conservation projects. This sets off a chain reaction of protections for their ecosystems, more cameras to monitor the behaviors of animals, and more jobs for the scientific community. Trail cameras also deter poachers, who have targeted these reptiles for their skin.
Trail cameras have also captured images of a Javan leopard in Indonesia and the Indian bison, providing vital information about their species.
Researchers said their goal is to establish a conservation plan to ensure the longevity of this species in Thailand's swamp forests.
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