Restoring the Critically Endangered Siamese Crocodile to the Xe Champhone Wetlands in Lao PDR
| dc.contributor.author | Thongsavath, Oudomxay | |
| dc.contributor.chair | Morreale, Stephen | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-03-31T19:55:03Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-03-31T19:55:03Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The critically endangered Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) faces severe threats globally, with fewer than 1,000 mature individuals remaining in the wild. Lao PDR, particularly the Xe Champhone floodplain in Savannakhet Province, harbors a significant portion of this population. This area represents the only known viable population in the country capable of annual successful nesting by multiple females. Despite its designation as a Ramsar site, the floodplain lacks formal protection, relying primarily on local religious beliefs for conservation. The population faces increasing threats from agricultural expansion, water extraction, and illegal hunting and fishing practices. To combat these challenges, the Wildlife Conservation Society Lao PDR is collaborating with the government and local communities to establish a community-based conservation zone involving 17 villages in wetland monitoring. A key component is the head-starting program in Tansoum village, where eggs are incubated for 75-80 days, and hatchlings are raised to 1 meter in length over 32 months before soft release. Since 2019, 78 head-started crocodiles have been released, with 156 more in preparation, achieving a 75% hatching success rate from 25 nests, resulting in 234 hatchlings. The project also explores suitable approaches, such as regulating incubation temperature to determine the sex of hatchlings, to balance the male-to-female ratio for long-term population health in the Xe Champhone wetlands. Habitat suitability models indicate that while 46% of the species' range is suitable habitat, only 11% is covered by designated reserves. Population connectivity models reveal highly fragmented remnant populations. The lower Mekong River Basin, from the Xe Champhon and Xe Xangxoy Rivers in Lao PDR to the Srepok and Sekong Rivers in eastern Cambodia, is crucial for future conservation efforts. However, the current protected area network is inadequate in size and connectivity, necessitating significant improvements to sustain viable populations of this critically endangered species. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1813/116798 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_US | |
| dc.rights | Attribution 4.0 International | * |
| dc.rights.uri | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | * |
| dc.subject | Siamese crocodile | en_US |
| dc.subject | Head-starting | en_US |
| dc.subject | soft–release | en_US |
| dc.subject | Xe Champhone Ramsar site | en_US |
| dc.subject | Community conservation | en_US |
| dc.subject | endangered species | en_US |
| dc.title | Restoring the Critically Endangered Siamese Crocodile to the Xe Champhone Wetlands in Lao PDR | en_US |
| dc.type | dissertation or thesis | en_US |
| thesis.degree.level | Master of Professional Studies |
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