3 saltwater crocodiles born in Seoul Zoo

A Seoul Zoo staffer holds saltwater crocodile hatchlings named, from left, Ssakssak, Ssukssuk and Ssingssing, at the zoo, south of Seoul, in this August photo. It was the first time for the young of the endangered species to be born in Korea. / Courtesy of Seoul Zoo

Three saltwater crocodiles were born in Seoul Zoo, the first breeding of the species in Korea.

Seoul Zoo Wednesday, made public the endangered species hatchlings that were born in August.

The three, named Ssingssing, Ssukssuk and Ssakssak, which were 28.5 centimeters in length and 80 grams in weight on average at birth, have been grown to 38.5 centimeters and 135 grams as of Nov. 2.

But breeding them was not easy, as seen from previous failures: In 2010, crocodiles there laid 60 eggs but none of them hatched.

On May 13 this year, one female crocodile laid 15 eggs in water and another female laid 23 eggs three days later. As it is not easy for saltwater crocodile’s eggs to hatch in water, zoo staffers had to move them to artificial incubators in exactly the same form they were laid in water.

This was done by distracting the mothers as they were protective of the eggs and very aggressive. The eggs were then put in five incubators in optimal temperature and humidity, and 12 of the 38 were fertilized.

Five of the 12 eggs decayed and four died while hatching. On Aug. 14, Ssingssing succeeded in hatching. As a staffer moved it to a special breeding facility, it immediately swam in water.

On Aug 20, Ssukssuk was born and the next day came Ssakssak. Their sex can be distinguished about a year later.

“They are gaining their wild instinct, biting staffers’ hands and hunting for fish,” a staffer said.

Saltwater crocodiles, the largest living reptiles, are one of the wildest predators, but they are categorized in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), meaning they are an endangered species worldwide, because of destruction of habitats and reckless slaughtering for their skin. <The Korea Times/Kim Rahn>