Legends Burger House Raises $4,000BZD for ACES Crocodile Conservation

Press Release – ACES/American Crocodile Education Sanctuary – May 31, 2011 – This past Saturday Legend’s Burger House was rock’n for crocs. Gino and the Shack Shakers entertained guests while they enjoyed pulled pork and chicken tacos and cocktails under the shade of a Belikin tent. The crocodile conservation display by ACES/ American Crocodile Education Sanctuary was educational as well as entertaining. Visitors marveled over the difference in skull sizes between the freshwater Morelet’s and the saltwater American crocs, and enjoyed watching both a photo gallery of ACES provided by The San Pedro Sun and a fantastically exciting video of ACES’s croc rescues and school visits which was created by Island Films.
Children took turns batting at a crocodile piñata made by Vince Rose, ACES croc wrangler and Wildlife Behaviorist, and Vince gave a live demonstration of how one of the croc traps works. After spending hours of preparation to set up the trap earlier that morning, it only took seconds once Vince crawled inside and pulled the bait for the net opening to be pulled tightly shut and raise high up into the tree, successfully capturing Vince. The crowd was impressed and delighted by the demonstration.
Tyler Cornell of Legend’s Burger House ingeniously helped ACES raise even more funds by giving away FREE rum drinks with the purchase of every $5 raffle ticket. Then, the raffle winners were drawn and 25 awesome prizes were handed out accordingly. As 6pm neared, people crowded the silent auction table to get in their last bids. As the sun set over the lagoon, silent auction winners were announced by ACES apprentice Chris Summers, and the winners received their prizes as the party dwindled down.

ACES would like to personally thank everyone who donated prizes for the day’s events and everyone that supported the cause by buying tickets or attending the festivities. “We are grateful to the whole community of this very special island. The generosity of everyone, from the band donating their time, to the San Pedro Town Council who permitted free bridge passes to those attending the event this is beyond what I ever could have imagined. We would especially like to thank Tyler Cornell, Jewels Von Rabenau and the staff at Legends Burger House for offering to host this event,” stated ACES Research Biologist Cherie Rose.

ACES will utilize the monies raised to continue building the new Educational Crocodile Eco-Sanctuary in Ladyville. Once the main facility is established and self-sustainable, it will give ACES the freedom to consider implementing a smaller croc sanctuary here on the island. And the biggest success of the fundraiser was that fun was had by all!

First Ever Crocodile Rescue on Caye Caulker

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!

Arriving late morning, the ACES team of Vince, Cherie and Chris got straight to work. By noon the first croc was caught. Measuring at 5’ 7” and named “Jockey” by Liz’s daughter, the male American Crocodile was extremely aggressive. With him safely secured ACES reset the snare and shortly after lunch had caught the second smaller croc, a female this time, measuring 4’10” and now named Matilda.
The ‘Big Guy’ is about 10’ in length and eluded the ACES team all day. “We had spotted him when we first arrived and then we never saw him again,” stated Vince. ACES will need to set a net trap and spend a night or two to catch this smart croc. Without sufficient funding, they are not sure when they’ll be able to return to Caye Caulker.

ACES utilized funds from their recent Rufford grant for the rescue effort. Since the grant is for a croc population survey of the area, now that a count has been done in that area, no more monies can be allocated for the rescue. Liz does not wish to see ‘Big Guy’ harmed in anyway and is seeking in-kind donations of lodging and meals for the ACES team to be able to return to catch it before it harms someone. Liz herself is generously donating boat fuel for the team to return and relocate the large American Crocodile. “‘Big Guy’ lays under the fuel tanks at the waters edge and waits for my workers to pass to try to attack. It has already eaten several of my pets,” states Liz. The real fear is that it could attack an unsuspecting tourist who likes to get dangerously close for pictures.

Where are the captured crocs being taken? With no facility in place yet since the arson of ACES, the team is forced to just relocate the crocs to nearby uninhabited cayes. This is fine for these two smaller crocs, but the ‘Big Guy’ really should be placed in a secure habitat so that he doesn’t return or become someone else’s problem, states Cherie. While there is talk of a new croc facility being built on the mainland, it is still many months from getting started.

Anyone wishing to help, ACES is in need of: a digital camera/video, two nights lodging on Caye Caulker, meals for those three days on Caye Caulker, electric tape, duct tape, ropes, and chicken for bait. Donors for the Caye Caulker capture can contact Liz Ross or ACES at acesnpo@hughes.net or 666-3871. Your help will take a bite out of extinction!

ACES Crocodile Chronicles

Submitted by Cherie Chenot-Rose, ACES Biologist

Croc Crusaders
You’re never too young to rescue crocodiles as young Alexis learned when he assisted ACES (American Crocodile Education Sanctuary) in the rescue and re-release of a four month old baby crocodile named “Larry” that he helped save. Baby crocs up to a year old are called “hatchlings,” explained Cherie Chenot-Rose, Biologist, as she and Animal Behaviorist Vince Rose informed Alexis about these threatened and protected modern day dinosaurs.

When "Larry" was first confiscated from someone who was trying to illegally sell him, the ACES team took the opportunity to teach neighborhood children about the endangered croc.

Larry was malnourished and dehydrated.

In poor health it was uncertain if the hatchling would survive.

After much nurturing Larry makes a full recovery and is ready to re-released into the wild.

Vince shows Alexis how to properly release the animal.

On this particular rainy day release on Nov. 19th, Vince decided to show Alexis how to properly handle the baby croc, and let him assist in re-releasing the baby croc he was instrumental in saving. When “Larry” was first rescued he was close to starvation and had to be forced fed twice and given vitamins before the little croc began eating on its own. When a Crocodilian is severely stressed, they will often refuse to eat. Crocs as large as 10 feet in length have been know to actually starve to death when subjected to high stress. This severe stress is usually due to improper husbandry, or care, and handling.

Baby croc Larry was lucky when Alexis properly and promptly contacted ACES and let them do their job. Now, a few months later, Larry is healthy, tagged and swimming free. “What most people do not realize is that less than 1% of the eggs in a crocodile’s nest will hatch and grow to reach a size at which they can reproduce, or sexual maturity,” states Chenot-Rose. Although the exact croc population on Ambergris Caye is currently undetermined, it is a know fact in the scientific community that it is the last stronghold for this keystone species.

ACES in Action
ACES has been busier than ever, with two other successful re-releases last weekend. “Crocoberry”, a 7 ft. 7” problematic male croc was rescued from the residence of Mr. & Mrs. Castleberry in San Pablo where he had taken up residence sunbathing in their canal-side backyard. The Castleberry’s had contacted ACES about their unwanted croc and treated the ACES team to a home cooked meal (complete with Wayne’s birthday cake) and cinnamon rolls to go in appreciation of their assistance.

The following day the team was called upon to relocate “Sampson,” an 8ft male croc, from the DFC area. “This was the most rewarding croc rescue so far,” stated Vince, “due to the tremendous amount of support and assistance from the DFC community.” Sampson’s rescue took 5 hours as he was extremely crafty at eluding croc wrangler Vince, who fearlessly crawled under houses in waist-deep waters in the dark. Finally lassoing Sampson, Vince found the croc to be a tagged ACES croc, proving that Sampson is a returning, problematic croc. Sampson was re-released for his final time. If captured again as a problematic animal, Sampson’s fate may be death. With nowhere else to place him, ACES and the Belize Forest Department cannot take the chance of him harming more pets or even worse, possibly a child.

This neighbor was happy to have "Sampson" removed from underneath his house.

Crocs on Ambergris
ACES is currently conducting a croc population survey and size distribution on Ambergris Caye. “Although no grants have come through yet to fund our efforts we just can’t sit still, so we’re taking the opportunity to collect pertinent data during rescues,” states Cherie. Vince and Cherie have collected scientific data on all of the problem crocs being relocated as well as collecting date while conducting croc “eye-shine” surveys. The animals are humanly captured; data such as size, sex and general health are recorded, then tagged and released. When rescuing crocs, such as the previously tagged one from the DFC area, the information collected will allow ACES to write an extremely needed Crocodile Conservation Plan for the island and present their findings to the Belize Forest Dept.

While still waiting for a reply from various grant applications, including PACT, ACES really wishes they had a hand held GPS to be able to collect accurate sighting and croc locations. Regardless, the croc population study will continue. Vince and Cherie are overwhelmed at the respect and participation of all the local Croc Crusaders on Ambergris Caye and stated that this support is what motivates them to continue to move forward.

For more information about ACES or to report a problem croc please call 666-3871 or
631-6366.

ACES's mission is commitment to conserving Belize's critical habitats and protected species through scientific research and education to prevent further extinction of species Worldwide and to preserve Belize's wildlife for future generations.

ACES Croc Capture

RECAP from ACES - www.YOUTUBE.com posting:
ACES / American Crocodile Education Sanctuary catches two large problematic American Crocodiles on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize less than 24 hrs before the ACES wildlife sanctuary in Punta Gorda Belize was burnt to the ground. These large crocs had no fear of man, or woman, due to being illegally fed by locals as a 'tourist attraction.' ACES has been educating the communities and relocating these dangerous apex predators at the request of the Belize Forest Department for over four years now country-wide in Belize. These two crocs reportedly were blocking the passage of golf carts in the streets of Ambergris Caye and were found lying under homes where women and children resided. Having being fed, the crocs had no fear and most likely one day would attack. Crocodilians of this size that have been fed by humans in other countries are usually shot. ACES tries to rescue every croc it can and these two were headed to ACES Croc Sanctuary in PG on Sunday. Unfortunately, hours prior to their departure, ACES received word that local villagers were about to burn down the facility and kill crocs at the sanctuary. By noon the rumors were confirmed by the PG police. These crocs were re-released on San Pedro later that day because there was nowhere else to take them to keep people out of harm's way. ACES has conducted croc presentations on how to safely co-exist in practically every school on San Pedro since 2008.

Crocodile Sanctuary in Belize Destroyed by Mob

ACES team captures a problematic croc on Ambergris Caye.

Press Release - Amercian Crocodile Education Sanctuary - September 6, 2010 - In the early morning hours of September 5th, a frenzied mob of Mayan-Belizean villagers set fire to the American Crocodile sanctuary that a Colorado,USA couple spent the last six years creating. “We’ve lost everything,” said Cherie Chenot-Rose, co-owner and founder of the American Crocodile Sanctuary for Education (ACES). The sanctuary was located in Punta Gorda, Belize.

The mob was apparently riled in to a frenzy by a Mayan “psychic” who claimed that two children, who have been missing for the last week, had been fed to the crocodiles at the sanctuary. It is alleged that the same group of villagers are responsible for burning other homes in the past several months in the Toledo District, the southern most portion of Belize.

Luckily, Cherie and her husband Vince Rose were in San Pedro on the island of Ambergris Caye when the mob attacked. At the request of the Belize Forest Department the team were rescuing three problem crocs, and meeting with top Belize tourism officials discussing the prospect of creating an American Crocodile sanctuary on the island.

Reports are that the mob shot and killed some of the 17 crocs held in captivity at the sanctuary. Also destroyed were the Rose’s two story home that included a laboratory and nursery for baby crocs. One baby American Crocodile was to be flown to Chicago to the Wildlife Discovery Center in Lake Forest, Ill. USA for the first ever animal exchange program between Belize and the USA. Over $2,500 in vet supplies that were recently donated for a new humane society that Cherie, along with other locals were working on in Punta Gorda were also lost. “This one wrongful incident has effected and hurt many innocent people and animals,” added Cherie.

Also destroyed by the fire were two cabañas where visiting guests and research students would stay.

Vince and Cherie are now homeless and do not have anything to their name, said Cherie. “Our lives have been threatened if we return to Punta Gorda,” she said. “We are not sure how to handle the situation, but the villagers and the country of Belize need to be held accountable,” stressed Rose.

Seeking help from the United States Embassy in Belize proved to be fruitless. “They just told us what it will cost to replace our passports,” Vince grumbled.

The two missing children have yet to be found. They were reportedly in Punta Gorda with their father and uncle to sell lime and craboo on Monday and were last seen in Cattle Landing Village a few miles out of town. “We pray these children turn up safely,” said Cherie. The Roses were not connected with the children in any way. The Roses were in San Pedro at the time the children disappeared.

Social media sites including facebook.com and belizeforums.com are buzzing with discussions about the ACES tragedy. “As all the emails come in with help and prayers I'm having a hard time holding it together,” wrote Cherie on her FACEBOOK page. “God Bless you all for being there… We have lost literally everything of our lives. Not just what we built here the past 6 years, but everything…This is going to be a long hard process, but we are going to fight and not run away. There will be another ACES somewhere … some day. Heart broken, but happy Vince and I are unharmed.”

Donations can be made:
International wiring account number for donations
Belize Bank # 630-1-1-10130
Account# Vince & Cherie Rose Fire Victim Account

Related links:
http://www.americancrocodilesanctuary.org/

http://www.facebook.com/aces.american.crocodiles

END

ACES compound on the Rio Grande River in Punta Gorda, Belize