How a nearly extinct crocodile species returned from the brink in Cambodia

PHNOM TAMAO, Cambodia (AP) — A tiny snout poked out to widen the crack of the slowly shattering eggshell.

The Siamese crocodile was taking its time, lagging others that had already wriggled out, chirping, into the sand. Adults can be up to 4 meters (13 feet) long and weigh up to 350 kilogram (770 pounds). They have few natural predators. But these hatchlings — each roughly the size of a New York hotdog — are vulnerable and their chorus of shrill calls was a signal for mothers to protect them and for stragglers to catch up.

Hor Vichet, a zookeeper at the nonprofit Fauna and Flora's breeding center for the critically endangered reptiles in Cambodia’s Phnom Tamao, broke the rest of the shell.

“It's time to go into the world,” he said.

Siamese crocodiles are making an unlikely comeback. Once widespread across Southeast Asia, demand for leather made from their skins decimated wild populations in the last century. Thousands were hunted or captured for breeding at farms. By the late nineties, they were thought to be extinct.

But a 2000 survey in the Cardamom Mountains in western Cambodia found a vestige of a wild population. These misty rainforests were among the last strongholds of Khmer Rouge guerrillas who fought the government until 1999. That, combined with the reverence of local Indigenous communities saved this lingering enclave of crocodiles. But they were still too few and too scattered to recover the population.

Conservationists realized that saving the species would require captive breeding of purebred, fertile crocodiles. The crocodile farmers who had nearly hunted the species to extinction now play a vital role in that effort.

Today there are about 1,000 Siamese crocodiles in the wild, roughly 400 in Cambodia and the rest scattered in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Indonesia. Protecting the reptile also requires safeguarding its habitat in the Cardamom Mountains -– a diverse ecosystem that is one of the last surviving rainforests in Southeast Asia. It stretches over an area larger than Denmark, helping to trap earth-warming greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

The efforts are finally paying off: The first crocodiles were reintroduced into the wild in 2012 and they have begun breeding in the wild: over a hundred eggs were discovered in the forests in July, the most so far. “We are still far from being able to say the species is in a good place,” admitted Pablo Sinovas of Fauna and Flora. “But it is making progress.”

The conservationists faced big challenges when they began their project in 2011. There were over 1.5 million crocodiles languishing in farms across Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, but few were purebreds. Farmers had bred Siamese crocodiles with larger, more aggressive species to get skins with textures demanded by fashion brands. Releasing those hybrids into the wild might hasten the disappearance of the purebred species.

It also could pose a threat to people. Evidence of Cambodian reverence for Siamese crocodiles lives on in toothy carvings on the walls of the Bayon temple in the country’s Angkor Wat temple complex, but the hybrids are not the same animals.

“That would be a problem since some of these species are aggressive to humans. And you don’t want them in the wild,” he said.

So the experts scoured through crocodile farms across Cambodia, working with farmers and scientists to find purebreds. The few that were eventually identified were brought to the wildlife center at Phnom Tamao to breed in captivity. Their eggs were were incubated artificially and the first group of 18 purebred young crocodiles was released in the Cardamom Mountains, laying the foundation for resurrecting the species.

Crocodiles are social species and once together, they “find their own hierarchy,” said Iri Gill, who manages cold-blooded animals at the Chester Zoo in the U.K., which supports the breeding program. After the breeding season, females lay eggs which are then kept in an artificial incubator where humidity and temperatures are monitored carefully to replicate the conditions of a nest in the wild.

“That is the key stage to hatch those juveniles out and raise them to a strong age before their release,” said Gill.

A similar captive breeding program was also instrumental in bringing back crocodile populations in India, after they were nearly wiped out by the early 1970s, said Yashendu Joshi, a crocodile researcher at the Indian nonprofit Centre for Wildlife Studies. In the wild, fewer than 1 in 20 crocodile hatchlings make it to adulthood. Their chances of survival increase exponentially if they're released after they grow to a meter (3.4 feet) long.

“That’s why these captive breeding programs have been working across the world,” he said.

Today, demand for crocodile leather has diminished and many of the farms had been losing money since the pandemic, said crocodile farmer Ry Lean.

Dozens of large crocodiles bask in pens around the home where the 73-year-old lives with her extended family. Her shop sells souvenirs like crocodile skulls stacked in shelves like books, glass cases overflowing with canines, mounds of crocodile jerky and lacquered bodies of baby crocodiles drying in the sun. But tourism has dwindled since the pandemic and rising fish prices make it harder to feed the reptiles, Lean said.

“I am stuck with this business and the crocodiles,” she said, adding that a large crocodile used to fetch up to $1,500. Now she’d be lucky to get $150.

Conservationists still scout the farms searching for purebred Siamese crocodiles. They are also working to protect the habitats where the purebred juveniles are released. In 2001-23, Cambodia lost nearly a third of its tree cover, according to Global Forest Watch — a platform run by the non-profit World Resources Institute.

The Siamese crocodile’s role as a flagship species — chosen to represent an environmental cause similar to giant pandas in China and tigers in India — helps the cause of protecting the Cardamom Mountains, said Sinovas of Fauna and Flora.

It makes no sense to release crocodiles into habitats that cannot support them, he said.

"Protecting habitat is the most important part of this whole project,” he said.

Associated Press journalist Sopheng Cheang contributed to this report.

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This shows siamese crocodile hatchlings in the incubation room of a conservation breeding center in Phnom Tamao, Cambodia's Takeo Province, on Aug. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

Ry Lean, 73, a crocodile farmer sorts and stacks crocodile jerky for delivery, in Siem Reap Province, on Aug. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

Carvings depicting crocodiles on a wall of Bayon Temple, near Cambodia's world-famous Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap Province, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Aniruddha Ghosal)

A crocodile is seen at a crocodile farm in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A crocodile is seen at a farm in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Aniruddha Ghosal)

Crocodile skins hang at a crocodile farmer's house in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Crocodile heads are displayed in a crocodile farmer's house in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Crocodile babies are dried to be sold at a crocodile farmers shop in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Aniruddha Ghosal)

A pair of pure-bred Siamese crocodile hatchlings rest after breaking free from their shells in a conservation breeding center in Phnom Tamao, Cambodia's Takeo Province, on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

A pure-bred Siamese crocodile hatchling pokes its head out of its shell at Phnom Tamao in Cambodia's Takeo Province, on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)

Crocodile heads are displayed in crocodile farmers house in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Crocodile babies eat krill at Phnom Tamao Zoo in Takeo province, Cambodia, on Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Crocodile farmer Ry Lean, 73, speaks with The Associated Press at her home in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Crocodile farmer Ry Lean, 73, speaks with The Associated Press at her home in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A zoo member holds a crocodile baby at a hatchling nursery at Phnom Tamao Zoo in Takeo province, Cambodia, on Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Farm crocodiles rest by a pool at a crocodile farm in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Farm crocodiles swim in a pool at a crocodile farm in Siem Reap province, Cambodia, on Aug. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A crocodile sits in the hatchling nursery complex at Phnom Tamao Zoo in Takeo province, Cambodia, on Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

A zoo member holds a crocodile baby in the hatchling nursery at Phnom Tamao Zoo in Takeo province, Cambodia, on Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

Crocodile babies rest together at a hatchling nursery in Phnom Tamao Zoo in Takeo province, Cambodia, on Aug. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James gave his 20-year-old son a pep talk before they rose from the Lakers bench. Amid rising cheers, they walked together to the scorer's table — and then they stepped straight into basketball history.

LeBron and Bronny became the first father and son to play in the NBA together Tuesday night during the Los Angeles Lakers ' season opener, fulfilling a dream set out a few years ago by LeBron, the top scorer in league history.

“That moment, us being at the scorer’s table together and checking in together, it’s a moment I’m never going to forget,” LeBron said. “No matter how old I get, no matter how my memory may fade as I get older or whatever, I will never forget that moment.”

Father and son checked into the game against Minnesota simultaneously with four minutes left in the second quarter, prompting a big ovation from a home crowd aware of the enormity of the milestone. The 39-year-old LeBron had already started the game and played 13 minutes before he teamed up with his 20-year-old son for about 2 1/2 minutes of action.

LeBron James is one of the greatest players in NBA history, a four-time champion and 20-time All-Star, while LeBron James Jr. was a second-round pick by the Lakers last summer. They are the first father and son to play in the world's top basketball league at the same time, let alone on the same team.

“Y’all ready? You see the intensity, right? Just play carefree, though,” father told son on the bench before they checked in, an exchange captured by the TNT cameras and microphones. “Don’t worry about mistakes. Just go out and play hard.”

Their time on court together was fast and furious, just as LeBron promised.

LeBron, who finished the night with 16 points, missed two perimeter shots before making a dunk. Bronny had an early offensive rebound and missed a tip-in, and his first NBA jump shot moments later was a 3-pointer that came up just short. He checked out one possession later with 1:19 left in the second quarter, getting another ovation.

Bronny didn’t play again in the Lakers’ 110-103 victory over the Timberwolves.

“(I) tried not to focus on everything that’s going on around me, and tried to focus on going in as a rookie and not trying to mess up,” Bronny said. “But yeah, I totally did feel the energy, and I appreciate Laker Nation for showing the support for me and my dad.”

After the final whistle on the Lakers' first opening-night victory in LeBron's seven seasons with the team, father and son also headed to the locker room together — but not before stopping in the tunnel to hug Savannah James, LeBron's wife and Bronny's mother. The entire family was in attendance to watch history — on little sister Zhuri's 10th birthday, no less.

Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. also were courtside at the Lakers' downtown arena to witness the same history they made in Major League Baseball. The two sluggers played 51 games together for the Seattle Mariners in 1990 and 1991 as baseball's first father-son duo.

The Jameses and the Griffeys met during pregame warmups for some photos and a warm chat between two remarkable family lines.

LeBron first spoke about his dream to play alongside Bronny a few years ago, while his oldest son was still in high school. The dream became real after Bronny entered the draft as a teenager following one collegiate season, and the Lakers grabbed him with the 55th overall pick.

“I talked about it years and years ago, and for this moment to come, it’s pretty cool,” LeBron said. “I don’t know if it’s going to actually hit the both of us for a little minute, but when we really get to sit back and take it in, it’s pretty crazy. … But in the moment, we still had a job to do when we checked in. We wasn’t trying to make it a circus. We wasn’t trying to make it about us. We wanted to make it about the team.”

LeBron and Bronny joined a small club of father-son professional athletes who played together. The Griffeys made history 34 years ago, and they even homered in the same game on Sept. 14, 1990.

Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines and his namesake son also accomplished the feat with the Baltimore Orioles in 2001.

In hockey, Gordie Howe played alongside his two sons, Mark and Marty, with the WHA’s Houston Aeros and Team Canada before one NHL season together on the Hartford Whalers in 1979-80, when Gordie was 51.

While the other family pairings on this list happened late in the fathers’ careers, LeBron shows no signs of slowing down or regressing as he begins his NBA record-tying 22nd season.

LeBron averaged more than 25 points per game last year for his 20th consecutive season, and he remains the most important player on the Lakers alongside Anthony Davis as they attempt to recapture the form that won a championship in 2020 and got them to the Western Conference finals in 2023.

Bronny survived cardiac arrest and open heart surgery in the summer of 2023, and he went on to play a truncated freshman season at the University of Southern California. He declared for the draft anyway, and the Lakers eagerly used the fourth-to-last pick in the draft on the 6-foot-2 guard.

LeBron spent the summer in Europe with the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the Paris Olympics, while Bronny played for the Lakers in summer league. They started practicing together with the Lakers before training camp.

The duo first played together in the preseason, logging four minutes during a game against Phoenix just outside Palm Springs earlier this month.

“It’s been a treat,” LeBron said at Tuesday’s morning shootaround. “In preseason, the practices, just every day ... bringing him up to speed of what this professional life is all about, and how to prepare every day as a professional.”

The Lakers were fully aware of the history they would make with this pairing, and coach JJ Redick spoke with the Jameses recently about a plan to make it happen early in the regular season.

The presence of the Griffeys likely made it an inevitability for opening night, even though Redick said the Lakers still wanted it “to happen naturally, in the flow of the game.”

The Lakers have declined to speculate on how long Bronny will stay on their NBA roster. Los Angeles already has three other small guards on its roster, and Bronny likely needs regular playing time to raise his game to a consistent NBA standard.

Those factors add up to indicate Bronny is likely to join the affiliate South Bay Lakers of the G League at some point soon. LeBron and Redick have both spoken positively about the South Bay team, saying that player development is a key part of the Lakers organization.

Miami forward Kevin Love, who knew all the James children — Bronny, Bryce and Zhuri — from his time as LeBron’s teammate in Cleveland, said it was “an unbelievable moment” to see father and son playing together.

“I grew up a Mariners fan, so I got to see Griffey and then Griffey Sr. But this is different, because LeBron is still a top-five player in the league,” Love said. “This game, man. It’s why we have that ($76 billion) TV deal. The storylines and the things that happen like this, it’s an unbelievable story. This is really cool to see.”

AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami contributed.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks to pass to guard Bronny James (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) works toward the basket as Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, center, and forward Anthony Davis defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James (9) handles the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) passes to guard Bronny James (9) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, center, watches play from the bench with teammates during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) guard Bronny James watch play during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James guard Bronny James watch play during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Bronny James (9) stand on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and guard Bronny James (9) stand on the court during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James warms up before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, left, sits with a team member before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and guard Bronny James warm up before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) blocks a shot attempt by Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and guard Bronny James warm up before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, left, and guard Bronny James warm up before an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)