The following was lateralled by Desiree Wong from next door ... well, a couple doors over actually ... in the Iguana Forum.}
UPI 07 February 03 Scientists try to confirm croc comeback
Miami: A multi-agency team of scientists began a monthlong study Friday to confirm the long-held belief that the American crocodile is making a big comeback in Florida.
The study is also expected to provide extensive information about the health of the Everglades.
During the survey scientists from the University of Florida, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Florida Fish and Game Conservation Commission and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will capture, mark and recapture the endangered animals to measure their growth and survival.
"The crocodile is an excellent indicator of the ecosystem health, so this is a good opportunity to start evaluating Everglades restoration," said Frank Mazzotti, a wildlife scientist at the University of Florida.
"It's the first time we're going to systematically go from one end of the crocodile's Florida range to the other, searching out every possible area to find out how many there are," Mazzotti said.
Both the federal and state government have begun a 30-year, $8.4 billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
The goal is to clean up and preserve water resources in central and southern Florida, including the Everglades, in order to overcome decades of decline. It is also expected to recover habitat for endangered species.
American crocodiles live only the extreme southern tip of Florida and thrive in estuaries, with a mix of salt and fresh water.
"Restoring estuaries is critically important to the future of the Everglades," he said. "When you read historical accounts of
Everglades exploration that describe incredibly abundant wildlife, they're referring to these areas. Estuaries are the most productive ecosystems on Earth."
Mazzotti and Laura Brandt, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the biggest threat to crocodiles is interaction with people.
"One of the biggest issues of restoration and the return of crocodiles is educating people about the animals," Brandt said. "As crocodiles return, there is more interaction with them, and people are afraid of them.
But the American crocodile is a real sweetheart when compared to the alligator, whose presence is often taken for granted.
Partly because of an increase in reported crocodile encounters, Mazzotti and Brandt suspect the large reptile is making a significant recovery.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will use information from the survey to see if the American crocodile can be reclassified from endangered, which means it is in immediate danger of becoming extinct, to threatened, indicating is less severe.
"I think we'll find a success story in progress," he said. "When they were declared endangered 25 years ago, it was estimated that there were around 200 to 400 crocodiles in Florida. Today, we estimate that there are around 1,000."
Scientists try to confirm croc comeback
