Reptile & Amphibian Forums

The USFWS may down-list C. acutus from endangered to threatened status due to increase croc population. C. acutus has rebounded from about 400 individuals 30 years ago to almost 1,000 individuals today.

That is good news.

Let me ask another question. I tend to think wayyyy outside the box.

Why was acutus ever considered endangered in the USA?

The USA is the northermost range of this animal. Given all the protection in the world it's unlikely this animal would ever be really populous in the USA. Not saying they should be persecuted but is it not doubtful this animal ever had a large US population?

>>Why was acutus ever considered endangered in the USA?

We can only manage the populations within our own boundaries, having no or little control over what other countries do. This same type of threatened or endangered status is extensively practiced by state level wildlife management agencies. For example the northern most range of the barking treefrog (Hyla gratiosa) is Virginia and Maryland. While this treefrog is common in the more southern state it receives state endangered status in VA & MD due to its very limited distribution in those states which are the northern most range.

yeah I understand that. Thats not my point. My point is that no matter how much protection we given them they will always be rare here, not due to mans influence entirely but rather because we are at natures limit for them.

I would rather have them protected and rare as opposed to non-protected and absent from the US.

I don't disagree, but I still think we're missing my point.

Are they truly 'rare' or is this all there were ever really meant to be on the edge of their range? 1000 may be a pretty good density for this animal, at this place.

No, I don't think that your point is being missed. Perspective is the main part of the answer (and the question). American Crocs may still be rare in the US at a population of 1000, however a 1000 or so animals this far north may be considered a ample population according to available historical data and the current size and condition of their habitat. I think we're in agreement, perhaps just looking at the same situation from different perspectives.

I'll buy all that

There is a 100 mile stretch of mangroves from Biscayne Bay in the North to white water bay on to the Naples areas. Most of this is national park boundary. Its a matter of getting sufficient fresh water flows to these mangroves. This will create alot of crocodile habitat where you have a very high survival of the juveniles.. 1000 animals in jsut the beginning.

There are several restoration projects that are commissioned to do this. The purpose of thse projects is mimic the historic salinity regimes of areas. The future is very promising for this.

Best wishes,

Ed Brown

Who can say for sure why USFWS would do or wouldnt do ... probably not even them !!

When they started listing status of crocodilians, it was messed up from the start .... listing cites 2 animals as endangered such as yacare, one little screw up with them takes 10, 20 even 30 years to fix.

Surely the american croc will have special requirments attached to its down graded status ... no interstate or international transport of live animals, etc.. much like the ones set on common caiman and yacare caiman.

Most likely the down graded status is being done to take advantage of the skin trade of this species in the USA or because of pressure from south and central american countries wanting to put this crocodiles skin into circulation, or both.