The siamese crocodile was thought to have disappeared and was declared extinct in the 1990’s. But wait a minute.

DNA tests have found 35 pure-bred Siamese crocodiles at a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia.

There are fewer then 250 of the species left in the wild, but the crocodiles at the sanctuary could now form the basis of a captive-breeding programme.

The discovery continues a remarkable comeback for the species.

Siamese crocodiles were declared extinct in the 1990s – before a small population was discovered in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains.

This is the conservationist equivalent of finding gold in your backyard or a Rembrandt in the attic. The siamese crocodile is still in such low numbers that it remains endangered, but a new population to breed from is a big hope.