A viral video showing a mother allowing her 4-year-old daughter to play with hundreds of baby crocodiles without fear has sparked concerns.
The incident occurred in Tha Takiap district, Chachoengsao province and many are worried about the potential health risks for the child due to exposure to contaminants and germs.
Yesterday, officials visited the crocodile farm featured in the video to investigate. In addition to concerns for the child’s safety, there were also worries about the farm’s management practices and the potential risks to the community if any crocodiles were to escape as they grow older.
Ms. Kwanruedee, the farm caretaker and the mother of the 4-year-old girl, admitted that she allowed her daughter to play with around 200 baby crocodiles in a basin to create content, not anticipating the viral spread and the significant impact it would have.
She explained that this started two years ago when they separated weak Siamese crocodile hatchlings into a basin, and her daughter began playing with them. The baby crocodiles, less than a week old, have no teeth and soft bodies, and each one is vaccinated to prevent disease when they reach seven days old. This year, the girl has only played with the crocodiles twice, always under close family supervision.
The district security and public health officials have requested the mother to stop creating such content and to take her daughter for a health check-up. They emphasized that the chemicals used in the water to raise the crocodiles, and potential contamination from crocodile excrement, pose serious health risks to the child.
They also warned that if a crocodile were to be unintentionally taken out by the child while her parents were not paying attention, it could grow and pose a danger to the community.
The provincial fisheries department confirmed that the farm has the necessary permits for crocodile possession and breeding. However, there will be further checks on the handling of crocodile remains, as tanned crocodile hides were found on the premises.
Chachoengsao province has fewer than ten licensed crocodile breeding farms, but there are over 60 crocodile farms in total in the area. This particular farm, with 400 breeding crocodiles, has been in operation for 17 years and produces 2,000 to 3,000 hatchlings annually. (TNA)
