Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has announced the discovery of a second near-extinct species of freshwater crab, officially named “Indochinamon Bhumibol” in the Wang Pong-Chon Daen no-hunting area in the northern province of Phetchabun.

Suphakorn Intharaprasit, chief of the no-hunting zone, said today (Sunday) that forest rangers stumbled upon the crab while they were on their routine patrol in the forest yesterday.

In September last year, another crab of the same species was found in the same area. It is thought that September may be its breeding season.

The species of crab, which is said to be the largest freshwater crab ever found in Thailand, was later confirmed by experts to be Indochinamon Bhumibol crab, native to the forestsbordering Phetchabun and Chaiyaphum provinces.

It was first found in Phu Luang in Loei province in 1976. The official name was given with the permission of late King Bhumibol in 2000.

The crab is dark brown, purple and orange.

This species of crab used to be found in creeks in the forests, but its numbers have reduced drastically, to the extent that it is rarely found these days due to over-hunting by humans and water pollution.