Around 3,600 smuggled Siamese crocodiles have been saved by police from being served as exotic dishes in China's Guangxi Zhuang region, Xinhua reported Saturday.
Veterinarians provided medical treatment to the reptiles, some of whom died due to heatstroke during transportation, said an official from the public security bureau.
The Siamese crocodiles were seized in the city from smugglers trucks while crossing the China-Vietnam border.
The smugglers intended to supply them to restaurants in neighbouring Guangdong province, the official said.
Siamese crocodiles are a critically endangered species native to most southeast Asian countries. Their meat is served as a delicacy in some southern Chinese cities, according to animal rights activists.