Detroit Zoo All Smiles Over Three Siamese Crocodiles

ROYAL OAK, Mich., September 26, 2008 – For the first time in its 80-year history, the Detroit Zoo is celebrating the hatching of three critically endangered Siamese crocodiles.  Keepers at the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles discovered the hatchlings while performing routine maintenance on the habitat.  

“One of the keepers thought she heard the chirping sounds baby crocodiles emit to let the mother know they’ve hatched and figured it was a co-worker joking around,” said Curator of Reptiles Jeff Jundt.  “When she realized the sounds were in fact coming from the Siamese crocodile habitat, she dug into the nest and found three chirping babies.”

The Detroit Zoo had been attempting to breed its pair of Siamese crocodiles since 1992 on the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Population Management Plan (PMP).  A PMP provides breeding recommendations for a species to ensure the long-term survival of the captive population in zoos and aquariums. 

Jundt attributes the Zoo’s success to recent modifications made in the Siamese crocodile habitat to make conditions more conducive to hatching.  These included temperature- and moisture-control measures and simulating nest conditions found in the wild during the incubation period.

The Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) is a medium-sized crocodilian found in the wetlands and waterways of Southeast Asia.  The Detroit Zoo’s hatchlings currently measure about a foot long but, after a while, the crocodiles will reach their adult length of 9 to 12 feet.  The hatchlings can be seen across from their parents at the Zoo’s Holden Museum of Living Reptiles.

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056.

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