World Wildlife Fund Films ACES

Submitted by Cherie Chenot-Rose, ACES Biologist

The American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) was captured again last week, this time by a Polish TV company that was in Belize filming a World Wildlife Fund production. The show they are producing is about pollution, particularly plastics, in the world’s oceans and how it affects the wildlife.

The crocodile that was caught by the ACES team last Saturday for filming unfortunately was more than perfect for their production and the animal clearly demonstrated the issues at hand. ‘Footloose,’ named because he is missing his left hind leg completely, is a repetitive problematic crocodile from WASA lagoon area and is also very ill. Discoloration of his tail scales led the ACES team to believe the croc is ingesting a pollutant. This is not the first croc with this condition. In addition, for his length, ‘Footloose’ is severely underweight. This very well could be due to the ingestion of plastic. Although crocodiles have the strongest stomach acid in the animal kingdom, and are able to digest bone, hoof, horn, and even antler, they cannot digest plastic. Instead, the plastic solidifies into a hard resin-like substance and often stays in the animals’ gut forever. In fact, the worst is the plastic shopping bags.

Not only do endangered sea turtles mistakenly eat plastic bags, confusing them for jellyfish and then dying from the blockage, but crocodiles, as seen here, often eat them too, especially when they smell of fish or chicken. One bag can kill a 12ft crocodile. When the bag comes into contact with the stomach acid it hardens in a flat matter and takes up a large part of the crocodiles’ stomach; so that in addition to the risk of a blockage it also prevents the croc from being able to consume a large amount of food, thus slowly starving to death. ACES and the Belize Forest Department asks the public to please refrain from feeding our precious wildlife and properly dispose of your trash.

Crocodile Confiscated

On Thursday December 23rd at around 10:00am, Vince Rose and Cherie Chenot-Rose of ACES (American Crocodile Education Sanctuary) received a phone call from the San Pedro Police Department informing them that the Police had confiscated a small American Crocodile. According to information received from the police, a man was seen walking in the San Mateo area, with the crocodile. The man was informed by the police officer of the risk he runs by having the crocodile in his possession. The police then took the crocodile and placed it in the care of the ACES team.

According to Biologist Chenot-Rose, the croc appeared to have been a captive animal as it was suffering from a condition called Belly Rot – Brown Spotting Disease, which is prevalent in ill kept crocs. The croc measured 40 inches (3ft 4in) and weighed about 10 pounds. There was a mark where it appeared to have been hooked in the back. The ACES team administered medical attention to the confiscated crocodile and held it under observation for 12 hours after which it was tagged and re-released into a small canal on the southern end of the island near the Port Authority.

The general public is reminded that it is ILLEGAL under the Laws of Belize Wildlife Protection Act, to capture, feed, harass or handle, or have in your possession any parts of a crocodile (including claws, teeth, skulls, skin, including use for jewelry). If caught, the first offence carries a fine of up to $500.00 and the second offence carries a fine of up to a $1000.00 and/or six months imprisonment.

Should you have a problem crocodile in your area, know of people illegally feeding or harassing them, or know of ones that are in illegal captivity you are asked to please call the Belize Forest Department at 822-1524 or ACES at 666-3871 or 631-6366.