submitted by Cherie Chenot-Rose

For years Liz Ross has been trying to get someone to help her with her crocodile problem on Caye Caulker. Liz owns and operates the only fuel station on the island. Finally, on Sunday, January 23rd, she received some help.ACES/American Crocodile Education Sanctuary, now located on Ambergris Caye, loaded up the ‘Croc Runner’ and headed to Caye Caulker early Sunday morning. Having never navigated these waters, the 15 minute boat trip took quite a bit longer and cost Cherie (ACES biologist and First Mate) some more fingernails. Somewhere between the two cayes, all of a sudden, coral heads surrounded the ‘Croc Runner’. With Cherie sitting on the bow and pointing the way between the treacherous obstacles, Vince (ACES animal behaviorist and Captain) was able to safely get the boat to the cut. Channel markers sure would have been nice!

OH MY!! Mike and I arriving on Caye Caulker just two weeks from today. I was not too concerned about the crocs before....I will keep my eyes open now. I don't want to be lunch!!!

OH MY!! Mike and I arriving on Caye Caulker just two weeks from today. I was not too concerned about the crocs before....I will keep my eyes open now. I don't want to be lunch!!!

Wow. Guess we can't let the kids go croc 'hunting' at night anymore. One of them might not make it back. I don't have Liz's contact info but I sent Aces an email to see what we can help them with.

All I can say is "KREIKEEEEE" just in time mate!
Long live the crocodile.

As far as i remember Liz was responsible for shooting a croc years ago south of caye caulker.
hans

Not Liz but someone from her crew at the direction of another.

That´s the same - she was responsible

This is good news, but not a first. I appreciate the efforts.
I have personally taken two small crocs, 3-4 ft. from the front beach near the Oceanside and the Split and released them in the brackish swamp on the southwest relatively uninhabited side.

bzguy,
Thats truly incredible, as living on Caye Caulker now 10 years I have never heard of any crocs ever on the front side in the Village area. 3 to 4 feet???? Hum..mabe drunks from the bar. Crocs like still waters of the back side of the island. Crocs would never be at the split...just not their habitation area.....Wait I did once see a 14 inch croc at the split but it was in the hands of a local.....

Hi Cooper,
They were immature lost animals, caught in a outgoing tide from the back of the island, fast tide, it happens. Both times I was fishing in the wee hours of the night, when the nocturnal animals are active.
I lived in the everglades for 15 years, would occasionally catch small gators on my flyrod by accident, they love to hit on Bass Poppers. So I have had some experience in releasing crocodillians. I wold never try to tangle with a ten footer, out of my league. Hat's off to ACE's, they devote their time and money to it!

I see crocodiles on the front side of Ambergris Caye just as often as I see them on the lagoon side. I would imagine it isn't out of the question that they would venture to the front side of Caye Caulker in search of a new place to live or good hunting grounds.

Crocs here on CC are afraid of nothing because they have no natural enemies. If they see something they can't screw or have for lunch -it doesn't exist.
There are no sizable animals to hunt so they eat fish and wading birds. There was a really big one that used to sleep on the football field at night.
There have been lots of rescues. We accept them into the Caye Caulker Conservancy Nature Reserve.

There used to be one frequenting the dock at Royal Palm. Skeered the beejuzus out of me when I would see people swimming there. Have not seen it on a couple of years, though.

Perhaps you just cant see that far any more

Years ago we had a big crocodile in a pont behind our house south Caye Caulker. his name was charly. The crocodile did cross our garden almost every night to go to hunt in the sea and came back early in the morning. We liked it to have such a interesting "neighbour". One day this crocodile was shot by the crew of liz ross at the direction of another. We´ve been deeply dissapointet about this people.
Crocs are part of caye caulker. We´ve never got any report of problems with crocs in the village of caye caulker

I suppose that is a possibility...........or perhaps the fact that I have not ventured out onto that structure may be a more appropriate explanation. Wanna take a stroll?

this was charly

need I be worried about Crocs while visiting in CC next week?

Babsy, not at all. In fact, you should be thrilled that you might be lucky enough to see one of these endangered and very important apex predators in the wild. As long as you don't interfere with them, they will not bother you at all. Very few people get the chance to see one of these amazing and prehistoric animals in the wild.

Sorry. I did not know her crew shot Charly. I know of another croc her husband killed from the North part of the Reserve.
We can take heart in the fact we are winning the hearts and minds of the people. She is fully in charge now and has them relocated instead. This one was in the channel they dug by the house.
I give her credit for at least that.

These guys are totally misunderstood. I've got your back Babsy my love. My friend Leroy here will see to it you are safe.

There is a sad underground market for these on Caye Caulker. No enforcement means they're easy targets for opportunistic individuals looking to make a quick buck.

I suppose if an animal entered your property, you could "protect yourself" and club it over the head, but I'm not here to debate the legal boundaries of profiting off such an act. It is a moral choice though, and I'd hope most people would choose not to profit off a wandering creature. A five-foot crocodile is more scared of you than you are of it.

Since they are supposed to be protected you think if you knew who was doing it you could report them or at least name some names. I've never heard of an underground market for croc in CC but then I'm only there 4 or 5 months of the year.

Jareth,

It is against the law to be in possession of a Crocodile - dead or alive according to Belize Wildlife law. There is no debate about legal boundaries. If anyone is aware that Crocodiles are being harassed, killed or kept illegally should call the Forest Department.

Well, we are back in Massachusetts after our visit to CC. We did get to see a croc in the wild! It was awesome!!!