Crocodiles in Yucatan

Some miles south from Cancun there is a peculiar park. Crococun is a refuge for many local wildlife species, providing necessary natural conditions so both vegetables and animals reproduce successfully while they are researched. Even when many mammals, reptiles and birds species live there, the pampered inhabitants here are crocodiles.

From de four species of crocodiles existing in America only two are found in Mexico: the American Crocodile, found in lagoons and swamps of the Pacific Ocean coast, and Moreletti Crocodile, in the shores of the Yucatan, both are represented in this park. Crocodiles are significantly evolved species from the reptile order; all of them have a common origin in a species known as Anchisaurus in the Mesozoic Age.

Crocodile courtship and mating happens in the dry season, when the water level in inlets and swamps descend. Females hatch right before the beginning of the rainy season. First she digs a hole where she lays from 20 to 45 eggs, and then she covers them with sand. Females are known to watch the nest closely during the 80 days incubation usually lasts, because coatis and raccoons constantly besiege it.

It is believed that females answer to their hatchlings’ call because mysteriously they unearth them in the right moment. Both, males and females protect young crocodiles from predators in such a special way; we may think their parents are actually eating them: instead they keep them delicately safe within their jaws. Small crocodiles begin feeding on mollusks and small fish, when they grow their diet extends to large mammals, turtles and other reptiles.

Some crocodile species live as much as 100 years and more, however all of them are considered endangered species. The resistance and beauty of Moreletti Crocodile's skin has been coveted by human kind for many years. Even when crocodile skin commerce is not forbidden, we strongly suggest you to consider before buying that it is very hard to make them reproduce in captivity.