Sixty critically endangered Siamese crocodiles hatched in Cambodia’s Cardamom National Park this summer, marking the largest record of the species breeding in the wild this century.According to international nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora, the Siamese crocodile is one of the world’s rarest, with an estimated wild population of about 400 as a result of hunting and habitat loss.Following the rediscovery of the Siamese crocodile in the wild in 2000, Fauna & Flora worked with the Cambodian government to establish a targeted conservation breeding program to strengthen wild populations.Over the past 12 years, 196 Siamese crocodiles bred in captivity have been successfully released in the Cardamom Mountains.In May 2024, a group of local people discovered three nests in an area where captive-bred crocodiles have never been released before, suggesting that conservation efforts are allowing wild populations to make a comeback. Days later, two more nests were discovered.At the end of June, a total of 60 baby Siamese crocodiles successfully emerged from their nests.Pablo Sinovas, director of the Fauna & Flora Cambodia Program, said: “The recent discovery of wild nests emphasizes the vital importance of safeguarding this area. With only a few hundred individuals estimated in the wild, the hatching of 60 new crocodiles is a tremendous boost.” Credit: Fauna & Flora via Storyful