Crocodiles escape from flooded farm in Thailand

Dozens of crocs on the loose in Pattaya. File photo.

Bangkok - Thai teams on Tuesday captured 22 crocodiles that had escaped from a flooded farm near a popular beach resort and were hunting for more of the missing reptiles.

The animals escaped the Million Year Stone Park and Crocodile Farm in Pattaya, 100 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, after heavy rain triggered a flood that washed through the tourist attraction Monday.

'We don't know how many are still missing but I'm confident that we can catch them all because these animals aren't used to finding food for themselves,' farm spokesman Suthawudh Temthab said.

About 100 employees were sent to hunt the crocodiles down.

The largest of the recaptured reptiles, identified as Jao Yai, weighed more than 400 kilograms and was three metres long.

'Jao Yai was found nearby,' Suthawudh said. 'He was making his way back to the farm himself.'

The farm is a commercial establishment dealing in crocodile skin and meat, with about 2,800 of the reptiles.

Thailand has been hit by unusually heavy monsoon rains over the past two months that have claimed at least 87 lives. The victims include French tourist Remi Huet, 34, who was swept away Saturday while bicycling near a waterfall in Prachinburi province, 100 kilometres north-east of the capital.

On Friday, heavy rains triggered floods and mudslides in three villages in Nam Phad district, Uttaradit province, 430 kilometres north of Bangkok, killing at least five people and destroying 41 homes.

According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, this year's monsoon rains have affected more than 570,000 people in 16 provinces.

Thailand's rainy season lasts from May to October.

--Deutsche-Presse-Agentur 2011-09-13

"'We don't know how many are still missing but I'm confident that we can catch them all because these animals aren't used to finding food for themselves,' farm spokesman Suthawudh Temthab said."

This is so comforting. They'd surely not be seeking food after starving.

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

When they have found them all.

Maybe they'll head to beach road as there they can blend in with the rest of the reptiles lined up down there..

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

When they have found them all.

Silly me

what the owner won't be able to find, locals will do the job killing escaped animals for the meat and skin. Rarely there are reports of the escaped crocodiles attacking people, but there is always a danger meeting a hungry croc.

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

When they have found them all.

"'We don't know how many are still missing but I'm confident that we can catch them all because these animals aren't used to finding food for themselves,' farm spokesman Suthawudh Temthab said."

This is so comforting. They'd surely not be seeking food after starving.

lollllll

They should check out that place on Soi 9 and Beach - plenty of hungry crocodiles there every day of the week.

I remember years ago while living in Pattaya the same thing happened a few years after the park first opened. Seems they didn't do a very good job of fixing the problem, but at least there will be allot of roadside Crock meat stalls in the area once again

a couple of weeks we went to an old zoo that still had crocs in the lake (thread here) as there has been significant flooding in Chanthaburi we were wondering this morning what the water levels in that area were like, and whether they were still behind bars.

As for them not being used to finding food, the ones we saw certainly had a decent idea - they were off the banks and into the water within a couple of minutes of me going to the fence, and swam directly towards me.

none as big as this one from news last week though - 1075kg and 6.4m. No thanks.

A giant saltwater crocodile weighing more than a tonne has been captured in a remote southern Philippine village following a series of attacks on humans and animals, officials said.

Measuring 6.4m (21ft) and weighing 1,075kg (2,370lb), it is the biggest to be caught alive in the Philippines in recent years.

more

"The largest of the recaptured reptiles, identified as Jao Yai, weighed more than 400 kilograms and was three metres long.

'Jao Yai was found nearby,' Suthawudh said. 'He was making his way back to the farm himself.'"

Apparently Jao Yai must have left his national i.d. at the park before going out with his mates for a piss-up! How else would they know his name?

Personally if I see one, I'll invite it in for a drink and supper. And hope I am not the supper it had in mind.

More handbags.

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

When they have found them all.

:cheesy:

make it snappy!! catching them.

Croc hunt! Croc hunt! Grab your rope and a case of Chang! Make that Jack Daniels on second thought.

Maybe they'll head to beach road as there they can blend in with the rest of the reptiles lined up down there..

Fabulous first contribution to TV.

"Never smile at a crocodile"

"'We don't know how many are still missing but I'm confident that we can catch them all because these animals aren't used to finding food for themselves,' farm spokesman Suthawudh Temthab said."

This is so comforting. They'd surely not be seeking food after starving.

Plus based on the fact these things have survived from the dinosaur era without farms nothing to worry about then.

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

Did you ever read Catch 22? I believe they will find the answer in there.

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

When people stop getting eaten?

Bangkok - Thai teams on Tuesday captured 22 crocodiles that had escaped from a flooded farm near a popular beach resort and were hunting for more of the missing reptiles.

Wait, I'm confused--WHO is hunting for the missing reptiles? Someday the people who write headlines will learn to re-read them.

not ferocious, seems they just want a cuddle.

Presumably, like all escapees from imprisonment, they'd head to the nearest brothel. Luckily for these old reptiles, they escaped into Pattaya.

If they don't know how many are missing but are confident that they will get them all back then how will they know when to stop looking for them?

When they have found them all.

Makes perfect sense...

... in Thailand

Not sure hunger is going to play much of a role, crocs can and do routinely go without food for 12 months or more.

Can also selectively shutdown metabolism/brain function to survive for more than 2 years without food.

About 100 employees were sent to hunt the crocodiles down.

I do hope they count them back...

are any of the local restaurants planning some rare "specials" now that we have some of these on the lose?

just a thought! lol