"Siamese Crocodile"

Phetburi River - Croc camp

Our camp at Croc camp was sandwitched between the sandbank where the crocodile had been remotely photographed and a campsite that was occupied by a family of elephants when we arrived. We therefore established our hammocks in the darkness, strung out along the river bank. This was to be our base for four nights.

Croc camp

The morning after our arrival we cautiously approached the crocodile sandbank from the landward side, checking for any crocodiles on the sand or lying in the shallows, but there were none.

We then ventured down onto the sand and made a search for foot-prints, droppings, belly-slides, tail-drags, but again there were only signs of monitor lizard activity.

The croc spot	Our first tentative approach
Mark & Tony survey the scene where the crocodile was photographed

Satisfied there were no recent signs of a crocodile we examined the plaster casts of the crocodile hind foot-print from a location close to the sandbank (UTM 47P 0531939 1425677) and we brought the crocodile trap into position. It was baited with a chicken and left in peace. Apart from observations from a distance the sandbank would now be a no go area, all other camping or herping activities taking place down-stream of our campsite.

Examining a plaster cast of a crocodile hindfoot print Tony collected here previously
Bringing in the croc trap	Adjusting the gate

Yos, Kait and Mark baiting the trap with a chicken

Croc trap set and ready, with a secondary noose system nearby	Camera trap also set up on

We set up a remote camera but did not get any shots of crocodiles

The next morning !

No a crocodile, but an Indo-Malayan water monitor lizard, Varanus salvator macromaculatus

After one night our trap worked, but it did not catch us a crocodile but a large Indo-Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator macromaculatus).

Indo-Malayan water monitor lizard, Varanus salvator macromaculatus

These large lizards were extremely common all along the river but usually you cannot get close to them. With a specimen in hand it was a chance for everyone on the expedition to have their photographs taken with a big lizard!

Introducing the monitor lizard to the girls			and to Roger and the camera
Mark	Tony	Yos	Namfon	Bam	Kiat
Everybody had their photograph taken with the monitor lizard, except Kait, the proud fisherman

These monitor lizard was the largest reptile we encountered at Croc camp, but not the only one.