At Terra Natura Benidorm, we are taking part this week in the 28th World Congress of the Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG), an international gathering being held from 11 to 19 May in Agadir, Morocco, bringing together researchers, scientists and conservation experts from around the world. Our participation reflects the work currently being carried out by the park to support the conservation and breeding of the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), considered the world’s most endangered crocodile species and classified as Critically Endangered.

Our veterinarian, Mario Torró, is attending this international forum organised by the Crocodile Specialist Group of the Species Survival Commission of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is the first time the congress has been hosted in North Africa, with Crocoparc acting as the host institution.

Under the theme ‘Crocodilians in a Human-Dominated World: Conservation, Challenges and Solutions’, the congress explores the latest scientific advances relating to crocodilian species and look for sustainable strategies to address the threats caused by increasing human pressure on their natural habitats. Over the next four days, nearly one hundred presentations are being delivered on topics including species conservation status, reintroduction projects, veterinary research, toxicology, taxonomy, captive management, and human-crocodile interactions.

The Crocodile Specialist Group is an international network where biologists, researchers, wildlife managers, representatives of conservation organisations and specialists dedicated to the study and protection of the 26 recognised species of crocodiles, alligators, caimans and gharials currently found worldwide.

Our presence at this international event is closely linked to the work we are carrying out with the Siamese crocodile, a species for which only small and fragmented populations remain in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. As part of this breeding programme, the park’s Head of Conservation, Elisa Gozalbes, is a member of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) committee dedicated to the species.

This congress also follows a recent veterinary and genetic study conducted at Terra Natura on a pair of Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) to further understanding of their health and reproductive potential as part of international conservation efforts for the species. The work involved a full medical examination and the collection of genetic samples to evaluate the animals’ suitability for future coordinated breeding programmes.