Unlike gators the American Crocodile isn’t considered to be as aggressive to humans. Although, there have been rare fatal cases with them in Central America there is no known fatality in the US. I have seen the two crocs that seem to hang out at the marina in Flamingo where this incident happened. The largest of the two seemed to have lost the tip of his lower jaw. Here is the link to the news feed I saw this morning and a few photos I took back in 2013 of the crocodiles I took that hang out at the marina.
I remember seeing what the Park guide told us was the only known croc in Flamingo at that time (Winter 2012). It was only about 5’ long and hanging out placidly in the EcoPond with an ibis perched on its back. I thought it even looked cute compared to the angry looking gators that were everywhere. Or maybe it’s just that alligators remind me of the scary reptilian ballet dancers in the original Fantasia (that terrified me as a kid.)
Glad to hear that there are more crocs in the reserve now, anyway.
There is a very large American Crocodile rumored to be 15 feet long. I don’t recall the name of the waterway, but it is east of Flamingo in the ENP
Spent today sailing my Scamp sailboat with a couple of friends. Ended up planning on paddling Sparkleberry Swamp Monday if it isn’t raining. They have never been there. The Tupelo should have bloomed by now. So maybe some bright green new grow.
I’ve heard that crocodiles in Asia will hunt and eat pythons. That could be a bonus to the invasive snake afflicted Everglades ecosystem balance if large crocs can proliferate.
I heard about the bite but just from news sources. There was a lot of chatter about it on the Watertribe FB page as the Everglades Challenge was last week but the Flamingo checkpoint closed on Friday and this happened on Sunday. All Watertribers and associated limbs accounted for!
He, 68 year old, was messing around with a sun fish sail boat at flamingo. Wasn’t to aggressive a battle since he was able to fight it off. Croc bit his leg. Was able to swim boat to shore.
There used to be a big croc that hung out at the marina in Flamingo.
Most studies indicate crocodiles are more aggressive than alligators. Alligators are more likely to flee when confronted. However, this is just a generalization. Individuals of both species can differ in temperament.
In the US alligators are far more common in most areas.
Australian and African crocodiles are aggressive, but the American crocodile is typically shy.
South Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles are both found. The alligator remains protected although they are numerous, in order to prevent killing of crocodiles, which are not.
Ditto! The American Crocodile is a different species than the Nile and Saltwater Crocodiles, and so is its behavior.
On a side note, when Ross Allen had the Reptile Institute there was a large American Crocodile and also a large American Alligator In the same enclosure. I believe the croc was larger, but the gator killed the croc. There is also an alligator species that is native to China.
Thank you to those with a local knowledge base, who’ve chimed in on our American saltwater crocs in FL…They have quite enough problems (habitat loss, climate impacts on nests, etc) without being mistaken for their more aggressive brethren on other continents.
When a much younger version of me worked in conservation/zoology, two things were apparent from adult crocodiles and alligators in captivity, in both Gainesville and Tampa: Feeding/tagging/exam time with the latter was always dicey, and took a great deal of care for staff and animals to remain safe. The same routines with American crocodiles were far less fraught. Never saw a single aggressive movement from an American crocodile. Though in fairness, the sample size was far smaller than for alligators.
I’d put more weight on accounts from the Fish and Game biologists, who used to provide senior seminars at UF and SFCC. Nesting surveys for both species are necessary, but put both the biologist and the animals in a situation where hardwired maternal aggression is most likely.
Their input, after nest surveys of hundreds (alligators) and dozens (crocs) of individual sites was that mama alligators often defended nest sites with significant aggressive behaviors. Understandably. The American crocodiles of South FL? In every site, the crocodiles retreated rather than defend their nests.
Two super seasoned snipers entered into everglade,
evolutionary in all senses they’re enhanced.
Flick in vibratory motion, certain smell or puffed warm breath,
still death will often play it out in chance.
There’s dark crossroad at apex where the mighty sometimes crash.
Objects in little motion seldom stay stealth long.
A dawn shows fourteen-foot dead gator, jaws clamped to invasive coil,
and for that lengthy Burma shave it too went wrong.
