A French woman was injured by a wild crocodile while visiting a national park in Thailand. The tourist, who had been hoping to take a snapshot of herself with the animal, allegedly squatted next it.
Siamese crocodiles were once widespread across South East AsiaImage: picture alliance/blickwinkel/P. Espeel
Advertisement
The visitor went off the trail despite warning signs, local media reported in Monday.
"She wanted to take selfie with the crocodile who was lying down near a stream," a park official told the AFP news agency.
The incident took place in Khao Yai, the national park known for its dense jungle areas and waterfalls, located some 160 kilometers (100 miles) northeast of Bangkok. The staff knew that two Siamese crocodiles were living near one of the trails prompting the officials to lay out the warning signs in English and Thai.
'It was startled'
According to a report by Bangkok Post, the woman squatted next to the crocodile for a picture, but tipped over and alerted the animal.
"It was startled and bit her on her on the leg," said the park employee, who wished to stay anonymous.
Thai outlets also published pictures of the 47-year-old woman being carried out on the stretcher, with a thick bandage around her knee.
She was transported to a hospital and expected to make a full recovery. Siamese crocodiles are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conversation of Nature, with national parks providing safe haven for few remaining populations in the wild.
Unloved animals
They come to stay - invasive species might look cute at first, but often they turn into plagues. What should we do: kill, cook, or cuddle them?
Image: Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images
Fluffy little devil
Non-native species often lack predators in their new environments. If their numbers skyrocket, they threaten local species. The Australian possum, which was brought to New Zealand to establish a fur trade, has turned into a pest in its new home country.There are now 30 million possums in New Zealand, who feed on local land snails, bird chicks and eggs.
Image: Imago/Blickwinkel
Threatening the national symbol
Amongst the victims of possums in New Zealand is the iconic kiwi. The flightless bird is so closely tied to the national psyche that human inhabitants of New Zealand often refer to themselves as 'Kiwis'. To save the native wildlife, the 'Kiwi' government recently announced an ambitious plan to eradicate all possums, stoats and rats by 2050.
Image: picture alliance/Robert Harding
Yummy pest
Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific, but now spread along the US coast, Caribbean and parts of Mexico, where they threaten native species. Their spines are venomous and can even harm humans. The easiest solution to the problem: catch them and eat them! Their taste is similar to that of snapper and grouper. Delicious!
Image: CC BY 3.0/Alexander Vasenin
Far, far out of Africa
It’s definitely one of the scariest invasive species on the planet: Nile crocodiles have been found in Florida, thousands of kilometers from their original habitat. The giant predators eat everything from small hippos to humans, so the new visitor can’t count on a warm welcome.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Fischer
Small but mean
The Varroa mite is the world's most devastating pest for Western honey bees. Originally it was only present in Asia, but it has now spread across most of the world. It particularly affects bees outside of its home region, as they lack a certain defense mechanism. By killing bees, Varroa mite damage entire ecosystems that depend on pollination.
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/R. Koenig
No cute easter bunnies
They are much loved by children, but hated by many farmers: European rabbits, originally native to Southwestern Europe. Settlers took the quick-breeding animals to Australia as a source of food. There, they don’t have any natural enemies and spread quickly. They contribute to the decline of endemic species like wombats and wallabies, and considerably impact Australian agriculture.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Meyers
World-famous troublemaker
This little fellow recently made headline: The tiger mosquito, native to Southeast Asia, is responsible for the quick spread of the Zika Virus in Latin America during the last months, which is said to be responsible for severe health damages to unborn babies. Due to climate change, the asian tiger mosquito is feared to also make itself at home in central Europe.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/James Gathany/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's
The fur that ran away
Raccoons from North America were introduced into Europe in the 1920s to be bred for their pelts. But after a bomb hit a German raccoon farm during World War II, raccoons escaped and began to breed in the wild. Over the past decades, their population size has rocketed. Some fear raccoons in case they transmit rabies to humans. But others argue we should just get used to these furry companions.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/L. Klimek
A polarizing debate
Should we try to eradicate all invasive species or accept them as part of the planet's ever-changing nature? That’s often a subject of heated debate. And one interesting argument often emerges: the mammal that has made itself at home in all corners of the world and wiped out more native flora and fauna than any other species, is man.
