Don't Coax Crocs, Thailand Tourists Told

[webfact]

Don't coax crocs, Thai tourists told

NAKHON RACHASIMA: -- Authorities at Khao Yai National Park have given a stern warning to tourists, ordering them to stop taunting the park’s pair of two-meter-long crocodiles.

The warning came after officials spotted visitors tempting the beasts with their feet.

The reptiles first hit the headlines last year when they were seen swimming around a waterhole in the park, which is not a natural habitat for crocs.

The pair have since become a tourist attraction in themselves. Park authorities initially planned to catch the animals and take them to another park better suited to their way of life, but as they seemed to be thriving in Khao Yai and not damaging the natural environment, they were allowed to stay.

Now park authorities worry that a tourist could lose a leg or even their lives to the crocodiles.

Khao Yai National Park chief Manot Kanphanakngan described the behavior of some tourists as “very worrying.”

Many tourists stop to try and spot the crocodiles. Often, if the creatures can’t be spotted, tourists dangle their feet into the pond to try and attract them. Others use sticks to hit the water to get the attention of the crocodiles before running away when they approach.

Some foolhardy visitors wait for the crocodiles to approach, then hit them on the head with a stick before fleeing for their lives, Mr Manot said.

The tourists do not know just how dangerous crocodiles can be, he said.

The crocodiles could easily bite off a person’s leg with a single chomp or even rip their heads off.

Humans aren’t the only primates with good reason to stay clear of the crocs.

Recently one of the beasts bit in half a monkey that strayed too close to the water’s edge, he said.

Also worrying is the crocodiles’ habit of coming out to bask near a popular camping area.

Park authorities put up signs warning people not to tease the crocodiles, but may even have to close off that area of the park if visitors continue to disregard the warning.

Source: Thai Rath

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-06-24

[Payboy]

Don't coax crocs

I have a pair and they bite like hel_l.

[gotlost]

To simple remove the crocs to a safe environment. They are not native where they are.

[rkidlad]

I always thought it was a good idea to wind-up crocodiles. Now after reading this article, I realise it's a bad idea.

You learn something new every day.

[cdnvic]

I always thought it was a good idea to wind-up crocodiles. Now after reading this article, I realise it's a bad idea.

You learn something new every day.

We're here to help.

[Slip]

][/b]The pair have since become a tourist attraction in themselves. Park authorities initially planned to catch the animals and take them to another park better suited to their way of life, but as they seemed to be thriving in Khao Yai and not damaging the natural environment,

(Please see sentence one)

...they were allowed to stay.

Edited June 24, 2010 by Slip

[souvenirdeparis]

Apart from the odd stray monkey, what do they feed on then ?

Do they ever check how many tourists come in and go out ?

The cunning crocs must be there for a reason .

[djayz]

To simple remove the crocs to a safe environment. They are not native where they are.

The crocs have become a "tourist attraction" and tourist attraction = ฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿฿ so I don't think these crocs will be going anywhere... even if they do bite off the head of a stupid tourist...

Imagine getting close enough to a croc to hit it on the head with a stick... some people really do deserve to die slow, painful deaths...

[siampolee]

As the song goes from the Peter Pan movie of 1953.

Be warned !!

Never smile at a crocodile

No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile

You may very well be well bred

Lots ot etiquette in your head

But there's always some special case, time or place

To forget etiquette

For instance:

Never smile at a crocodile

No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile

You have been warned.

[dasy]

Don't coax crocs

I have a pair and they bite like hel_l.

Latest attraction: a bungee jump above the pond....buy tickets first!!

[bkkjames]

Fantastic PR job by this attraction IMO. 

They have taken their sleepy tourist attraction and have smacked it straight onto the pages of the highest circulation newspaper in the country by creating fear.

If only TAT could do such good work.

[Spaniel]

About 6 months ago when my wife and I were camping at Khao Yai I saw one of the crocs. I was hiking along the river and spotted it sunning itself on a sandbar.

[MaiChai]

Thailand safety last...

Do we have to wait for the crocs to tear off someones arm/leg before they do the right thing and remove the crocs? This is just downright irresponsible.

Anyone been to Dusit Zoo where they have lots of pictures round the croc pen showing what the crocs have done to stupid visitors who put their arms, etc, over the pen to taunt the animals? People do stupid things and authorities should know this and prevent these kinds of accidents.

The reason I am ranting is that myself and my kids were playing in the water near where the crocs were found, and a week later they were discovered. Now for all I know the crocs could have been there while we were there

Edited June 25, 2010 by MaiChai

[animatic]

It's amazing to think people actual think this is a good thing to do,

until you meet people... then in some case it all becomes clear....

The human organism's ability to be irrational is often astounding.

[krading]

"The warning came after officials spotted visitors tempting the beasts with their feet."

Maybe they're after a pair of crocodile skin shoes.

[SomTumTiger]

Any tourist tempting a croc with their feet - deserves what they get. A spot on the DARWIN Awards - for starters.

[slapout]

The observation that tourists were baiting the crocs with their feet, could be an example of a couple of different natural selection theories.

1. It supports the survival of the fittest theory, in this case good reflexes.

2. It would tend to contradict the theory, that human reasoning/mental capacity are responsible for us being at the top of the food chain.

[cdnvic]

Any tourist tempting a croc with their feet - deserves what they get. A spot on the DARWIN Awards - for starters.

A Darwin Awards editor was dispatched to Khao Yai to look at the story but never made it after developing writer's cramp while observing traffic on the ride over.

[ratcatcher]

As the song goes from the Peter Pan movie of 1953.

Be warned !!

Never smile at a crocodile

No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile

You may very well be well bred

Lots ot etiquette in your head

But there's always some special case, time or place

To forget etiquette

For instance:

Never smile at a crocodile

No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mister Crocodile

You have been warned.

Thanks to Siampolee for the lyrics, since this is a fun topic, here's the actual video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMaPTZdwjPE

[ratcatcher]

Thailand safety last...

Do we have to wait for the crocs to tear off someones arm/leg before they do the right thing and remove the crocs? This is just downright irresponsible.

Anyone been to Dusit Zoo where they have lots of pictures round the croc pen showing what the crocs have done to stupid visitors who put their arms, etc, over the pen to taunt the animals? People do stupid things and authorities should know this and prevent these kinds of accidents.

The reason I am ranting is that myself and my kids were playing in the water near where the crocs were found, and a week later they were discovered. Now for all I know the crocs could have been there while we were there

Khao Yai is a world famous national park in Thailand, it has a few wild animals, rarely seen. Possibly wild elephants, maybe a few tigers, likely some cobras etc. Now we have notice there are some Siamese crocodiles actually living in the park.

People who visit National Parks, whether they be in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Banff, Canada or wherever, are warned that WILD animals are dangerous. Warning signs are posted frequently advising people not to feed the bears, get out of their vehicles when surrounded by a pride of lions etc etc.

Still people get killed or seriously injured every year because of stupidity. A National Park is a refuge for dangerous wild animals, it is not Disneyland or Sampran Crocodile farm, where crocodiles are used as entertainers.

I am sure nobody in their right mind would swim in the Mara river in Tanzania where crocodiles enjoy a diet of wildebeeste on a seasonal basis.

[jackr]

The crocodiles could easily bite off a person’s leg with a single chomp or even rip their heads off.

Stroll on.