NEWS & STAR (Carlisle, UK) 12 January 11 Cumbria university scientists find 'extinct' crocodile in Africa ( Pam McClounie)

A team of scientists from the University of Cumbria rediscovered an endangered African crocodile – which was thought to be extinct – while working on a project in The Gambia.

The lecturers and students are working on a project to relieve poverty in Africa through the conservation of endangered species.

And they were in Africa at the same time as the Cumbrian ospreys which are currently resting in warmer climes for the winter.

The group rediscovered the West African Dwarf Crocodile which was thought to be extinct.

Dr Roy Armstrong, senior lecturer with the Centre for Wildlife Conservation at the University of Cumbria, said: “This came about while the team were setting up a vulture monitoring scheme.

“During the survey the team noticed a pair of eyes looking at them from a roadside lake. It became clear that these belonged to a crocodile, but it did not look like the much larger West African crocodiles that the team were used to.

“Ryan Fritsch was dispatched to creep through the lakeside vegetation to try to get photographs to allow identification. The photographs revealed a small crocodile with a short snout, dark eyes and eyelash-like appendages.

“The team believed this to be a Dwarf crocodile and this was later confirmed by experts including Tim Wacher of the Zoological Society of London.”

Dr Wacher, a West Africa expert also cast doubt on earlier records, and said: “This is the first confirmed record in The Gambia I have seen.”

The day after the initial sighting, Dr Armstrong returned to the site and confirmed that the crocodile was still present, but this time, also located a single baby crocodile, confirming that this was a breeding site.

The team are now working with biologists and government departments to develop a conservation strategy, including protecting the site and “ranching” to increase the population and allow re-introductions to other areas.

The team of scientists have just published the findings from their 2010 research expedition to The Gambia.

The team of seven students included members from Germany, Australia, Poland, Northern Ireland, England and Cumbria.

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Cumbria university scientists find 'extinct' crocodile in Africa

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