New Cayman Croc Sightings
Posted by: Loren Coleman on February 12th, 2007
As was detailed here, an eight-foot long crocodile was captured near Old Man Bay in the Grand Cayman on Saturday, December 30, 2006. This despite the fact that crocodiles, according to the media and authorities, were suppose to be extinct in the Cayman Islands for 200 years.
Now comes reports of new crocodile sightings from the Caymans:
According to one eyewitness, Cayman Brac seems to have an unwelcome visitor. Earlier this week, Albertha Bodden was on the shore in the Stake Bay area picking whelks, when she spotted, what she believes was a crocodile in the shallow waters near the shoreline.
She saw a long, dark object under the water moving eastward. She described it as looking like a ‘log’ beneath the surface and said she could see its tail clearly. However, it seemed to have quickly disappeared from view.
There have been other unconfirmed sightings further east in the district of Spot Bay. However, Sgt. Conolly at the Cayman Brac Police Department said that nothing had been officially reported to the station.
In early January an eight foot long crocodile was captured off Queen’s Highway in Grand Cayman and at the time, there had been unsubstantiated reports of further sightings.
The nearest obvious source of crocodiles is Cuba where the surviving indigenous population is supplemented by a farming programme which produces meat and skins.
Local maritime expert, Raymond Scott, thinks these creatures may have ‘jumped ship’ whilst en route to a zoo.“Crocodile sightings in Brac waters”, Cayman Net News, February 12, 2007.
Random Posts
- Similar Phenomena:
The success of the American Alligator’s rebound from near extinction gives hope that the native crocodiles will recover too.
This is really good news.
Crocodylus rhombifur, commonly known as the Cuban Crocodile, used to be common in the Cayman Islands but is believed to have become extinct there. I see several possibilities:
1. A crocodile enthusiast brought in live specimens from Cuba and let them out in the Cayman Islands.
2. Like Raymond Scott says, it’s possible that crocodile specimens escaped from a transport vessel while in route to a local zoo.
3. The species was never completely hunted off in the Cayman Island.
If the species is determined not to be C. rhombifur, then option 2 is most likely.