(See original story here).
It is hope the test results will be returned in two weeks and will determine which species the crocodile belongs to. So far officials have had difficulty determining the species through physical examinations of the crocodile (see story here and here).
Deputy Director of The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) Dr Pinsak Surasawadee said, “I have sent got the crocodile blood to test its DNA at a lab in the Faculty of Veterinary Science at Mahidol University in Bangkok. Once the testing is completed we will know with certainty which species of crocodile it is.
“If it is from the wild and not from farm, we will release it back into nature where it is safe for the crocodiles and away from humans. But if it is non-native species of crocodile, we will have to find right place to house it. So, we are waiting about one or two weeks for the result. Also, we implanted a microchip into crocodile so we can identify it in the future.
Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries at Kasetsart University in Bangkok and official advisor to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) said, “This crocodile has sparked much interest from Thais who are interested in learning more about marine animals (see story here). Also, we hope that the discovery will help increase the community’s efforts to conserve all wild animals.”
To have your say in where the crocodile should be relocated, you can vote in The Phuket News’ online poll this month. Where we we ask readers this simple question: “What do you believe should be done with the Phuket saltwater crocodile Leypang?”
Read the full poll description and make you vote here.