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Conservation biologist Pablo Sinovas is releasing a juvenile Siamese crocodile into the wild in Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains.
The area is home to what's thought to be the world's largest remaining population of Siamese crocodiles, roughly 250 adults.
He explains the crocodile release is a proud moment, considering that for many years [[between 1992 and 2000]], the species was thought to be extinct.
"Siamese crocodiles are one of the rarest reptiles in the world. To help with its recovery, we are releasing them in very remote sites in the Cardamom Mountains, a jungle area where the species can be safe and we are doing this because it is an important species for the ecosystem. As a top predator, it contributes to maintaining the ecosystem health. Also in Cambodia, this is a very important species culturally. It is considered to be sacred by Indigenous peoples in that landscape. And so, the recovery of the species is essential from an ecological, as well as cultural, perspective."
Reaching up to 4 metres in length, the freshwater crocodile is native to Asia and was once found in large numbers in much of mainland Southeast Asia.
Habitat destruction and hunting eliminated 99 per cent of the historical habitat of the animal.
The director of Fauna & Flora International's Cambodia program, Mr Sinovas says it has been a challenge to build a conservation program to bring the species back from the brink of extinction.
"Twenty five years ago now, Fauna and Flora rediscovered a population of Siamese Crocodiles in Cambodia. The species was thought to be extinct in the wild up until that point. And so, following that discovery we have been working with the government and with local communities to help bring the species back from the brink of extinction. We are doing that by protecting the habitat, by monitoring populations, and importantly by breeding the species in captivity and taking it back into remote areas in the wild where they are also protected by those local community patrols."
The Siamese crocodile holds a spiritual and cultural significance to the Indigenous Chorng people of Cambodia, who believe the animal can bring good luck.
They also believe that killing or disturbing the animals can bring misfortune.
The crocodile's image appears in stone carvings at Angkor Wat and other ancient temples - a sign of its sacred status.
Of the Indigenous Chorng people, Sim Khmao says it was his affection for the Siamese crocodile that motivated him to lead a team of rangers to safeguard the community's unique cultural heritage.
"The reason I decided to join and protect the Siamese crocodile is because I love them. The number of crocodiles has been decreasing, so I joined to keep them alive for the next generation of young people.”
The team of eight crocodile wardens includes respected village elders, with their work recognised as a model for conservation efforts elsewhere in Cambodia and around the world.
In 2021, the team won the International Ranger Awards, presented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Since 2011, the group's conservation breeding program has led to the successful release of a total of 196 juvenile Siamese crocodiles in safe areas and suitable habitats.
That includes the latest release of 50 Siamese crocodiles into the Cardamom Mountains this month - the largest release of the critically endangered species.
The moment celebrates a milestone - 25 years of running the breeding and release program.
The goal is to keep releasing crocodiles in the coming decades until the Cardamoms have a self-sustaining population of crocodiles.
In Australia, crocodile conservationist Charlie Manolis says there is a lot of interest in studying the success of the model developed by the rangers in Cambodia.
"One of the challenges we have is to ensure that we work with the local people, who have to live with these things, these animals. And try and tie them into the people and their livelihoods so that we can ensure the long-term survival of the species and their role in the ecosystem."
As the co-chair of the Crocodile Specialist Group for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Mr Manolis is helping plan a conference focusing on the Siamese crocodile in Darwin in April.
He says conservationists, researchers and industry professionals from around the world will gather to discuss the latest advances in crocodile conservation.
"We have a duty, I think we have a responsibility to help conserve the Siamese Crocodile, as with other wildlife species that are threatened and endangered around the globe."
