American Crocodile - Travis Berridge

American Crocodile

 The American Crocodile

Being from the beautiful Sun Shine State of Florida, I hold most reptiles near and dear to my ecological heart. It might simply be because I am so used to seeing them as part of my daily life in my home state. Turtles waddle across four lane highways dodging semis as their bellies burn on the hot asphalt. Lizards scurry through your lanai (screened in pool area for you non-Floridians). Bullfrogs and toads screech all through the night looking for a mate. However, none of these little reptilians leave such a lasting impression as when an American alligator surfaces next to you in a murky lake you decided was a good place to wakeboard for the day. On more than one occasion have I been within ten feet of a very large and territorial beast in the water. Something I haven't seen in the wild though, is an American crocodile.

A distinguishable difference between crocodiles and alligators is alligators have a rounded snout, while crocodiles have more of a very prominent, more pointed snout. The American Crocodile can measure up to fifteen feet long and weigh up to a whopping two-thousand pounds (natgeographic.com). The prehistoric beast live over sixty years and inhabit coastal waters and wetlands. (cincinatizoo.com). This makes Florida prime real estate for American Crocodiles. A place surrounded on three sides by water and humidity you can feel as soon as you get off the plane. In the United States, Florida is the only area these crocs live. American Crocodiles also inhabit coastal areas through the Caribbean, Central America and northern South America (ecos.fws.gov). These large reptiles are a keystone species, having a very large impact on their habitat. They will eat just about anything they can fit on their mouths. Birds, fish, crabs, turtle, or small mammals along the water-line (cincinnatizoo.com).

In 1999 a recovery plan was enacted for the American Crocodile. Due to over harvesting of Crocodile for their hide and habitat destruction American Crocodiles' populations dwindled by the 1980s. It was legal to hunt these animals until around 1962. By the middle of the 1970s American Crocodile populations were between 100 and 400 individuals in Florida. Crocodiles were listed as endangered throughout their range in 1975 (40 CFR 44151) and critical habitat was established for this species in 1979 (44 CFR 75076) (ecos.fws.gov).

By 1997 there had been many improvements in populations of American Crocodiles (ecos.fws.gov). With crocodiles being protected from hunting, reproduction was able to take place without interference. However there is a new threat. An invasive species has moved into the everglades and has been competing and arguably out-competing with the American Crocodile as well as the American Alligator, the Burmese Python. This new competitor adds another aspect of endangerment.

The good news, we have made progress and we are constantly learning more about species and their habitats. With combined efforts of federal and state governments, solutions can be reached to save the American Crocodile.

Sources:

"American Crocodile - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden." The Cincinnati Zoo Botanical Garden.               N.p., n.d. Web. 06 June 2015.
            <http://cincinnatizoo.org/blog/animals/american-crocodile/>

"American Crocodiles, American Crocodile Pictures, American Crocodile Facts - National      
           Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 June 2015.     
           <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/american-crocodile/>.

"Species." SpringerReference (2011): n. pag. Web. 4 June 2015
            <http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/sfl_msrp/SFL_MSRP_Species.pdf>.

Images: In order of appearance

http://cincinnatizoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/crocodile.jpg

http://cincinnatizoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/American-Croc-copy.png

https://www.fort.usgs.gov/sites/default/files/Burmese%20Python%203.jpg

http://s3.amazonaws.com/rapgenius/crocodile_hunter_9.jpg