According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), crocodiles are making a comeback in the Sunshine State.
For many, the word “crocodile” conjures scenes from the wilds of the Australian outback. As previously reported by The Epoch Times, the U.S. Census Bureau just announced that Florida is the fastest-growing state in the country. Therefore, as Florida’s human population grows and development continues to expand, more sightings of these ominous creatures are likely.
Florida now has an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 adult crocodiles, an increase from the estimated 300 in 1975, according to the state’s fish and wildlife agency.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service downgraded the American crocodile status in Florida from “endangered” to “threatened” in 2007. In the announcement of the change, the Fish and Wildlife Service said “the endangered designation no longer correctly reflects the current status” of this distinct vertebrate population segment “due to a substantial improvement in the species’ status.”
The action was based on the fact that the crocodile population had “more than doubled,” and because land acquisitions had “provided protection for many important nesting areas.”
“At that time, the number of adult crocodiles was estimated to be as many as 2,000,” Tammy Sapp of the FWC told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “As a result of their recovery, along with the growing number of people spending time on or near the waters of south Florida, crocodile sightings increased.”
In 2020, an American crocodile was spotted in the backyard of a woman in Punta Gorda, Florida. Police estimated the creature to be about 70 years old and 10 to 15 feet in length. On Dec. 8, an 8-foot crocodile was seen relaxing on the beach in Melbourne, Florida.
The American Crocodile
According to the information provided by the FWC, American crocodiles are a recovering, threatened species native to south Florida and the Keys.While American crocodiles can be found along the coasts of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, Florida has the unique status of being the only place in the United States where people can see an American crocodile in the wild.
Sightings of the American crocodile most commonly occur in brackish and saltwater habitats. However, because of south Florida’s elaborate and extensive canal systems—designed to prevent flooding in Florida’s neighborhoods, amusement parks, and shopping areas—these creatures can travel great distances through these locks and culverts like roadways, and are sometimes spotted inland in freshwater habitats.
Unlike the saltwater crocodile, described by Australia’s Northern Territory Government as “one of the most aggressive and dangerous,” the American crocodile is known to be shy and reclusive. Because of this, the FWC says conflicts between American crocodiles and humans are extremely rare in Florida. However, they advise that people use caution whenever they are near.
Tips offered by the FWC for safely coexisting with crocodiles include:
- Keep a safe distance from crocodiles. While crocodiles will often bask in the sun with an open mouth, there’s no cause for concern as this behavior is used to regulate their body temperature.
- As crocodiles are most active between dusk and dawn, swim only in designated areas and only during daylight hours.
- Because splashing can replicate the crocodile’s natural prey, keep pets on a leash and away from the water, even in designated swimming areas
- Pet owners who live on or near water should consider installing fencing on their property to keep crocodiles away from their pets.
- Never feed crocodiles, as it is illegal and dangerous. Feeding crocodiles will diminish the crocodiles’ natural wariness of humans and teach them to associate people with food.
- Dispose of fish scraps in designated waste containers. Discarding fish scraps in the water may attract crocodiles.
- Avoid feeding other aquatic birds such as ducks, which can also attract crocodiles.
