Two Endangered American Crocodiles Killed (FL)

[jpak]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/tech/2006/mar/07/030705689.html

Two endangered American crocodiles, once considered among the most imperiled species in the United States, were found shot to death near Key West, authorities said Tuesday.

Both crocodiles, a 7-footer found Saturday and an 8-footer discovered Monday on Sugarloaf Key about 12 miles east of Key West, were shot between the eyes, authorities said.

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The two dead crocodiles were 7-year residents of a pond in an affluent rural neighborhood, said Officer Gordon Sharp of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The animals were discovered about three miles apart several miles away from the pond.

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She said officers could only recall one other such incident in recent memory, when a man was arrested in December for dragging a well-known crocodile nicknamed "Charlie" to its death behind a Hummer. Authorities have issued warrants for four others in that incident in Key Largo near the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, about 60 miles south of Miami.

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:mad:

[Hobarticus]

1. Dragging an animal to death behind a Hummer...surprise, surprise

Hot circle of hell waiting for that jackass.

[flvegan]

2. Executed and left behind? Affluent 'hood? Means they were seen

as a nuisance. Sometimes, some people just...suck.

[xultar]

3. I wonder if the Croc ate a beloved pet. They should have relocated

the animals a long time ago.

I live in FEAR that a hawk would take off one of my Chis. So I watch them when they are outside. Now that it is getting warm I don't know what I'm going to do. I think I'm going to have to purchase a large fenced kennel with a shade top to keep them safe.

[HereSince1628]

4. Some people just have a criminal sense of sport.

[Canuckistanian]

5. I didn't know there were American crocodiles

I thought there were only 'gators.

[Boomer]

6. If people keep shooting them...

There won't be any left and you'll be right.

[happyslug]

7. American Crocodiles:

Lives in Brackish or salt water compared to the Fresh water preferred by Alligators:

http://www.npca.org/marine_and_coastal/marine_wildlife/crocodile.asp
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW157
http://www.uga.edu/srel/crocodile.htm

The Alligator can tolerate some Salt water but not as much as the American Crocodiles:
http://www.npca.org/marine_and_coastal/marine_wildlife/alligator.asp

The ability to live in Salt water makes the American Crocodile one of only two species of Crocodile-lian to live in Salt water (The other is the Sea going Crocodiles of Australia and the East Indies).

Salt Water Crocodiles:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/brittoncrocs/csp_cpor.htm
http://www.kingsnake.com/oz/crocs/porosus.htm
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/act-plan/cporo.htm

The only other Alligator beside the American Alligator is the Chinese Alligator:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/brittoncrocs/csp_asin.htm
http://www.angelfire.com/mo2/animals1/crocodile/chinall.html
http://www.onet.net/~eagle/Reptile/chinese.htm

There is a Debate on the relationship between the Caiman and the Alligator. The dispute is these two different types of Crocodile-lian or just one given different names. I lean to the later, leaving the Crocodile-ilan Family into just three Branches, the Crocodiles, the Alligators/Caiman and the Gharial (Located only in India).

For more on the Gharial:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/brittoncrocs/csp_ggan.htm


The Caiman:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetology/brittoncrocs/csp_mnig.htm