Owner says he slaughtered crocodiles to prevent them from escaping due to heavy flooding
A farmer in Thailand has culled about 100 crocodiles for fear they could escape and endanger lives, as floods wreaked havoc in parts of the southeast Asian country, Thai PBS reported Wednesday.
The enclosures of a crocodile farm owned by Natthapak Khumkad in the northern province of Lamphun were damaged with heavy rain, raising concerns the adult crocodiles would escape and roam the countryside preying on villagers and livestock.
"The rains this year are so intense, and I have had to make a quick decision,” according to Kumkhad, who said he consulted with his family and took a unanimous decision before slaughtering the animals.
Khumkad has been running the farm for the last 17 years, that is currently hosting 700 crocodiles, some of which are 17 years old.
Heavy monsoon rains have swept across northern Thailand, creating severe floods and landslides. The storms have killed at least 46 people and injured 24.
The flood has also affected 160,736 households in 4,017 villages, according to the Bangkok Post.
