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S.O.S. Crocodiles in Vallarta

This article is not intended to scare anyone, but rather to make it known that these admirable and wonderful animals are in serious danger due to the destruction of their habitat. Confined to an ever smaller space, area crocs are threatened by individuals who have demonized persecuted them and eliminated all but a few. This is a call for help on behalf of the region's crocodiles.

A Little History
I've been avoiding writing about crocodiles for a long time, not because I do not like them, but because I find it hard to express in so little space how saddened I am by the complex situation here in which they are wrongly referred to as "alligators." Also because modern Puerto Vallarta is built over top much of the crocodile's natural habitat, destroying 90% of their space. Rivers, mangroves, estuaries and flood plains that are now covered with houses had been an ideal habitat. These lands have been dried out, disassembled, filled in and destroyed; all to expand the Puerto Vallarta that we have come to know.

There's a Crocodile in my Pool!
It might sound funny, but it is clear evidence that there is something wrong, because crocodiles are territorial and their habitat has been reduced to a few hectares, such that the young and weak are forced to seek out new territory. As a result, it is becoming increasingly common to see them swimming on the beach, walking through the streets and even area hotel swimming pools. This is more common during the summer rains; as the rivers grow, it's their time to play, encouraging them to emigrate. Teams of highly trained personnel are responsible for catching them and returning them to their habitat unharmed, but how do we return them to a habitat that no longer exists?

Shawshank Redemption!
But what fate awaits those crocodiles who dare to leave their space again and again. Those individuals, who refuse to remain in a territory that no longer favors them, are transferred to a "Cocodrilario" or crocodile farm, where at least their life will be protected, and they can avoid the risk of dying by being beaten or shot, and where that can be admired by a few onlookers who come to see them with assurances that they are safely ensconced behind a wall or a fence. Unfortunately, due to maintenance costs, these crocodiles sometimes suffer from hunger, neglect, and are often crowded into small living spaces.

Ugly and Dangerous?
Unfortunately, their appearance does not help them, nor do their long and visible fangs that appear all too threatening to observers. Dangerous? Yes, but no more than any other wild animal if we do not respect its space. Just know that crocodiles fear us more than we do them, and what better example could there be than those famous "alligators" living in the water courses of the Marina Vallarta golf course. These, crocodiles lie quietly and comfortably in the sun while golfers play around them with neither bothering the other. Yes, a few dogs have gone missing, but surprisingly very few incidents occur with people and when they occur, it is invariably is because a human has approached recklessly close, since wild crocodiles always avoid contact with humans.

There is not reason for Losing Hope
There is a group, of biologists and citizens, concerned about the future of the region's crocodiles. Day after day, this group's efforts, their time and money are helping these misunderstood animals to have a more promising future. The best known Crocodile Farm in the area is located at the CUC, the University of Guadalajara, where each of the crocodiles has a remarkable story of survival.
Another Crocodile Farm one can visit is located at the "El Quelele" Lagoon in Nuevo Vallarta, a beautiful site that to-date has been neglected by the authorities and which is home to a wide variety of aquatic life, birds and crocodiles. It is near Flamingos Golf Course, so you can visit a beautiful place, eat well, and enjoy watching these misunderstood animals at large, while you are contributing to its conservation.
If only we could be less preoccupied about their appearance and more interested in the important role they play in nature, their ultimate fate might be very different. It is surprising to know that these are the only reptiles in existence today that care for and defend their young. Crocodiles and have remained virtually unchanged for about 200 million years, yet we still have the gall to banish them from their territory, when it is they who far outranks us in their rights of seniority.

S.O.S. Crocodiles in Vallarta

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