More than 12,000 netizens have called for the release of a "depressed" saltwater crocodile which was caught offshore in Phuket last week after the beast developed a loss of appetite.
They signed an online petition on the change.org website, urging the Department of Fisheries (DOF) to free the male crocodile, believed to be the one filmed swimming in the sea off Bang Thao beach earlier, after the animal was left in the care of the Phuket Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre in tambon Pa Klok of Thalang district
The 3-metre crocodile was captured last Thursday because it was seen as posing a potential threat to tourists. However, according to netizens, the animal has "looked depressed" and lost its appetite while at the centre.
Earlier, a video clip featuring a large crocodile in the sea at Bang Thao beach in Thalang district went viral.
The footage was captured by a drone operated by an Australian tourist identified as Mike after he spotted the reptile in the sea while walking along the beach late last month.
Responding to the online petition, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Surasak Karnjanarat yesterday said he has told the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to work with the DOF to find out whether the crocodile came from the wild or was reared on a farm.
A netizen who posted comments opposing the free-the-crocodile campaign said the reptile should not be released back into the sea as it would be dangerous for people wanting to go for a swim.
"A saltwater crocodile typically lives along the coast like a box jellyfish. The animal is not like a shark that typically lives in deep watr. If authorities release it into the sea, we will have to be very careful when entering the water," he said.
Meanwhile, Sasin Chalermlarp, chairman of the Seub Nakhasathien Foundation who examined the crocodile at the centre on Monday, has proposed that officials relocate the crocodile to a wildlife sanctuary for research or release it back into its natural habitat to preserve the population of saltwater crocodiles, which are considered an endangered species in Thailand.
A study to prevent their extinction should be jointly conducted between the DNP and the DOF, he said.
Mr Sasin also urged the DNP to launch an awareness campaign about saltwater crocodiles and how to address their shrinking population.