Florida Crocs

[fishdoggydog]

I am sure val can answer this. I saw a TV show on Saturday that talked of the thousands of nile crocadiles in Florida. Are they protected at all, and are they a bigger menace than the same size aligator?

[popplecop]

Don't know about Nile crocs, but Florida is home to the American croc.

[Jack]

Uhhh...wait a minute. Crocs? or gators?
Florida has alligators, quite a few of those.
If there are any crocodiles in Florida, they are very, very rare- very.

[popplecop]

The American croc is a native species found only in Fla. It is not an exotic, Gooogle up American croc. should be something there. They are an endangered species, been along time since I cracked the books on these. Cuba also has one that is a different specie too. Some years ago I talked with Louisianna's chief gator researcher at Rockfeller Refuge. I asked her if the American croc ever existed there, she said probably not gets to cold at times.

[fishdoggydog]

So I was not watching it closely enough, the gator man had a 4 footer in his hands and was talking about nile crocs reaching 25 feet in length. He was also saying an estimated 5000 crocs in the area, so I thought he was talking about the same species. I see I forgot the caps on Val in my first post, she is probably mad at me for dissing her like that, sorry.

[Rocky Raab]

Oh doggie, our Val does not get mad.

She simply invites you on a gator hunt some very dark night...and she goes home alone.

Funny though -- after hunts like that she sometimes has some very interesting leather wear to sell. Hmmmm....

[8X56MS]

In days long past, there were several varities of Crocodiles in Carribean and South America. I believe the Orinoco Croc is the largest member of the Crocodylus genus in this hemisphere. Florida Crocs are in short supply. No way to get a permit at all for hunting them.

[gspsonny03]

Rocky, you're not trying to suggest that she makes her own gator bait traps are you?

[muledeer]

Oh No! Val and ManBeef? No way
muledeer

[Valigator]

see what I miss while waiting on my insurance check????

Yes we have crocs they use to be in sme very limited areas but are moving into more territories as I write this.
American Crocodile...or ...Crocodylus acutus.....,
there are 22 species of crocs, two species of alligator, and six species of caimans,
Factoid:American crocodiles can be distinguished from American alligators by their longer, more narrow snouts and by their lower teeth, which are visible even when the crocodile's mouth is closed.

Status: Endangered.

Population: There are approximately 500 to 1,200 American crocodiles in Florida.

Threats: Once hunted intensively for their hides, today poaching and the loss of habitat to human development are the greatest threats faced by American crocodiles.

Survival: Crocodiles can reach 50 to 60 years of age.


American crocodiles have long, slender snouts, which distinguish them from their cousin the alligator. Also unlike the alligator, the fourth tooth on the bottom jaw of the American crocodile is visible when its mouth is closed. Adult crocodiles are 7 to 15 feet long and weigh 150 to 450 pounds.

American crocodiles inhabit areas where fresh and salt waters mix, such as coastal wetlands and canals. They are found in southern Florida, the Caribbean, southern Mexico, and along the Central American coast south to Venezuela.

Decidedly less aggressive than the infamous Nile and Australian crocodiles, American crocodiles are rarely seen by people. They eat a variety of crabs, fish, waterfowl, and small mammals.

National Parks: The American crocodile can be found in Biscayne National Park, FL, and Everglades National Park, FL.

(life will be complete when I harvest a HUGE Croc)