Croc Talk

The “croc doc” rocked the croc talk. 

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center (ELC) hosted the first “Lunch and Learn” lecture on November 21, and there was a lot to sink your teeth into – even apart from the buffet lunch catered by Carrabba’s Italian Grill. Over 90 people showed up in the ELC auditorium to hear from University of Florida biologist Sergio Balaguera-Reina, PhD, a marine biologist and researcher at the IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center. They really do call themselves the UF Croc Docs – it’s even the name of their website. 

On Marco, talking about crocodiles in Florida is a local story. While the American crocodile, Crocodylus acutus, is distributed all around the coastline of south Florida, there is a nest as close to Marco Island as the end of the Marco Island Executive Airport runway, and kayakers and homeowners on Henderson Creek, next to the ELC, regularly report sightings. 

Despite mentioning that he bears scars on his legs from crocodile bites as he was capturing specimens, Dr. Balaguera displayed appreciation, even fondness, for the massive reptiles, not to mention respect. American crocodiles were hunted for leather products in the 19th and 20th centuries, with much of their preferred waterfront habitat taken over by humans, and were considered endangered and at risk of extinction in this country. Their numbers rebounded with conservation measures and a big assist from nest sites in cooling canals at the Turkey Point nuclear plant on Florida’s east coast – which could provide the genesis for a thrilling sci-fi wildlife movie featuring genetically altered “nuclear crocs,” just in case Hollywood is interested. 

Back in the real world, in 2007, the crocs’ status was lowered from endangered to threatened, but overall, crocodiles are more at risk from us than we are from them – although that balance could shift if you take an evening dip at a remote beach in Florida Bay. 

In general, though, the American crocodile is less aggressive than their cousin the alligator and shies away from human contact, said Balaguera. They are also less aggressive than fearsome predators such as the massive Nile and saltwater crocodiles, the world’s largest reptile at up to 20 feet in length. There are no known human fatalities from croc attacks in this country, although quite a few throughout tropical Central and South America. 

 The Marco airport crocodile nest has posed a mystery to the researchers who study the species. For some unknown reason, the female crocs there, although they have laid numerous clutches of eggs during the spring, year after year, have not produced viable hatchlings. But the population has endured, although down to only a few individuals in recent years, said Balaguera. It even provided a plot point for “Deadly News,” a crime thriller novel by Marco Islanders Don Farmer and Chris Curle, who had a planeload of bad guys crash on takeoff from the Marco airport, with “deadly” results.

When females are guarding their nests, they are at their most aggressive. Balaguera showed nighttime video footage of one mama croc, who had one arm torn off in a fight with another croc – just recently – and was still protecting her eggs and hatchlings. 

It is important for us, as humans, to protect all species in our ecosystem, even those considered inconvenient, from the crocodile to the mosquito, if we want our environment to remain viable, said Balaguera. 

“They all interact with each other, and with the environment,” he said. “If you remove the top predators, you reduce the richness” and throw the whole system out of alignment. 

The Lunch and Learn lecture series will continue through May, with six talks scheduled. Topics include prescribed fire burns, endangered shorebirds, Burmese pythons, and preserving architectural sites, all presented by experts in their fields. The cool months bring a flurry of activity at and around Rookery Bay, with classes including Watercolors and Wildlife and the Essentials of Digital Photography. 

The next major event is the annual Festival of Birds from January 16-20, with birding and wildlife field trips all over Southwest Florida, bird-themed programs at the ELC, and a keynote address by “With the Wild Things” host Dr. Jerry Jackson. 

The Rookery Bay Environmental Learning Center, at 300 Tower Road, Naples, is open 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Tuesdays through Saturdays with admission of $10 for adults and $5 for children ages four to 12, with discounted admissions through the Blue Star Museum and Museums for All programs. For more information, go online to RookeryBay.org.