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CNN
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The marsh is shining, and the ancient predators are disappearing in the heat of life and the bustling Jamaican sun.
There are approximately 28 species of crocodile species in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. However, Jamaica has only one species found mainly along the south coast from St. Thomas to Westmoreland.
Respected and feared by the entire island, the American crocodilian acutus (Crocodilus acutus) have long ruled mangroves and coastal lagoons.
However, in recent years, its population has been necroticized due to illegal hunting, habitat loss, plastic pollution and murders spurred by prolonged fear among locals.
Lawrence Henriquez has created his life mission to change it.
Known as the “Protective of the Crocodile”, Henriques has fought for their survival for the past 40 years.
He runs the Netherlands Gulf Crocodile Reserve, a grassroots conservation project southeast of the island, and is one of Jamaica’s last viable crocodile habitats, sitting on the edge of what he says.
From this far corner of the island he is trying to cancel his years of damage. The sick clock returns to health, raises the boy and restores wild numbers.
“Crocodiles are really afraid of Jamaica,” says Henriques. “They are not tolerated by many people, so if they’re in someone’s backyard, it’s often because they’re killed for the meat or because people are afraid.”
Crocodiles are often considered aggressive and dangerous, but they do not attack easily. According to the Global Database Crocodile, reliable numbers are difficult to get, but Jamaica has reported 11 incidents over the past decade, including one fatality of 2018.
That’s why Henriquez is working to change the narrative about animals and helps people understand that they are far more threatening than their reputation suggests.
Born and raised in the capital of Jamaica. Kingston, in the 1960s, Henriques always preferred “creepy raw rings” such as spiders, scorpions, and snakes.
But it was the crocodile who really caught his attention.
“We had more crocodiles and habitat back then,” he recalls. “I always had about half a dozen baby crocodiles in my bedroom.”
The appeal of this ultimately became a profession. After studying abroad and learning more about reptiles In collaboration with the British charity, Belize’s Science Exploration Association, Henriquez returned to Jamaica in 1980. He realized that despite the 1971 Walcodil being classified as at risk under the Wildlife Conservation Act, little practical conservation had occurred.
“The law was there, but no one was doing anything,” he says. “Environmental agencies are extremely under-resourced and still today, and no one really had the expertise. Knowledge about reptiles. ”
Henriquez volunteered to support the Jamaican government, to rescue alligators and provide rehabilitation.
He continued this way for almost 20 years before the brief relocation of the UK to London. When he returned to Jamaica in 2010, he launched what would become a sanctuary for alligators in the Gulf of the Netherlands, a facility dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation and public education.
At the edge of the marsh there are 27 adult crocodiles along with 18 Crocs. The boy’s crocodile is kept on site and is usually released into the wild three years later, but adults were rescued and rehabilitated after being attacked by cars, caught up in traps, or living in illegal conditions. Over the past three years, about 90 people have returned to the wild, according to Henriques.
One of the crocodiles currently living in the sanctuary is Xena. He was found to protect his eggs in areas where trash, skin, skin and teeth are scattered in grey from contamination.
Savannaborn, international ambassador for Gatorland Global, a Florida-based wildlife park conservation arm, helps fund the sanctuary, but since the relocation, Xena’s skin has healed and her teeth have become white again. Her baby grew up in the facility and was released to a safe area, helping to increase the species’ wild population.
“Laurence does an extraordinary job with very limited resources,” she told CNN.
Despite legal protections, Jamaican crocodiles face an increasing threat. According to officials of the country’s National Environmental Planning Agency (NEPA), poaching is ramping and is often driven by meat demand and misplaced fears.
“Poaching is definitely a big problem,” says Leighton Mamdeen, Environmental Officer at NEPA. “We are trying to limit that through enforcement measures such as regular surveillance and other enforcement measures. We will partner with Jamaican police forces and the Jamaican Defense Force to patrol.”
According to media reports, Jamaica has a thriving black market for crocodile meat and eggs, with meat selling for a pound (450 grams) for $5,000 ($31).
This is possible It comes from a widespread misconception in some rural communities where crocodile meat is present. It has the properties of an aphrodisiac.
Damany Calder, another NEPA environmental officer, says he noticed a nasty pattern during the callout when the crocodile was found with its tail removed.
“There are rumors about crocodile tails… (used) for either sexual performance, fertility, or lifespan,” he says.
Otherwise, the crocodile has been found in a backyard pond, kept as pets or used as props for Tiktok stunts and music videos. Calder even had a time when small, live crocodiles were found packed in broken fridges. He believes it may have been part of a ritual called obea, a Jamaican religious tradition similar to voodoo.
Social media videos could only result in prosecution if the perpetrator was involved in the act, Calder says. Individuals committed the crime of killing a crocodile You may be charged a maximum fine of $100,000 or face a one year imprisonment.
“The police are deeply involved and are trying to improve penalties,” Henriquez said.
“But like everything else, it catches the person and proves it in court. It’s a process that’s been pulled out for so long.”
Development is another killer.
Jamaican mangroves and wetlands are currently being settled for tourism and housing development, according to the Forest Service. This affects the country’s coastal resilience as mangroves help reduce wave energy and storm surges, prevent flooding, act as a fish nursery, and provide essential habitat for species like crocodiles, thus damaging biodiversity.
When this territory shrinks, the crocodiles are closer to humans.
“These animals are tied to where they always lived,” says Henriques. “But now those places are towns and roads… We took their habitat. ”
To Henriques, crocodiles are no threat. It is a keystone species that has been on the island for millions of years. The Jamaican emblem, designed to represent the island’s unique wildlife and natural heritage, features a Jamaican emblem, with crocodile perched on a royal helmet and cloak ring.
“They’re like engineers in ecosystems,” he says. “They dig channels, control fish populations and keep the wetlands healthy.”
He explains it The presence of these apex predators helps regulate biodiversity within aquatic ecosystems by controlling prey populations and creating microorganisms that support a variety of plants and animals.
but Henriques warns that there are no islands due to poaching and habitat loss For a long time, many large male crocodiles remain along the coastline.
“What’s happening in Jamaica reflects a global pattern: wetland species are disappearing and the health of the entire ecosystem is disappearing,” he adds.
Despite the challenges, there is a careful sense of hope.
Henriques and NEPA have strengthened community outreach and education programs, particularly in areas near alligator habitats.
“One of the most influential things we’ve done is visiting schools,” says Mamdeen. “If you start with kids, you’re more likely to secure a future for animals.”
When reports of crocodiles in a water pool near the school caused panic between parents and children, NEPA directed outreach efforts to local students.
“We told them: The crocodile wants to run towards you (from you) more (from you) than you,” he says. “If you’re near water at night, walk with a stick. If the animal is touched, it will move.”
Henriques Added: “People are beginning to realize that these animals have a place… they are not pests. They are survivors.”
Still, the sanctuary is one of the few conservation efforts on the island, and without ongoing support, Henriquez fears that Jamaican crocodiles will not survive for decades to come.
“We can’t afford to lose them,” he says. “They were here longer than we did. They’re part of this land.”