when and why the number of the american crocodile decline?

Question

the american crocodile

Answer 1

The decline of the american crocodile is happening all the time. People try to help by putting them in captivity. And because people are going to their enviroment and killing them.

Answer 2

HI
First there is no American Crocodile.. Its the American Alligator.
Crocodiles and Alligators are quite different really. We do not have naturally occuring Crocs in the US.

Now The reasons the Alligator got into trtouble was mostly from poaching,, and finally from Habitat destruction for all reasons including building of new communites and homes.
Finally water pollution, things like checmicals and fishing lines that tangle gators etc.. play a small part as well.

The American Alligator has made HUGE comeback.. much in part not only to Public awareness and education but to Alligator farming.. YES I said Alligator Farming..
I was dead against it.. til I learned about it

It is the number One reason for the come back of the gators and a great Conservation tool.

For example.. in the state of Florida there are only 30 Farmers who can remove alligator eggs from the wild.. they hatch these eggs out.. in far greater numbers than would hatch in the wild.. then they feed and care for the babies til they reach 4-5 feet .. then on average 17% are returned to the wild.....

You see... if mom gator laid 45 eggs.. assuming another animal like a racoon did not get them... only a small amount of those eggs are goin to make it hatching.. then the timy gators have to make it about 4-5 feet before the only predator they have is anothe gator.

Most dont make it.. In fact During a heavt hurricane season like Katrina was... Most all the eggs are destroyed and there are no hatches..

By returning 17% back and doing this after they reach the 4-5 foot size it has allowed the gator to come back in record numbers in a short period of time.. Also
by legal farming filling the need for Alligator meat and hides.. there was no longer need for poaching.
Each state that allows the farming has limits and permits for each farmer as to what they can do.. it is tightly regulated.
Its considered Sustainable use.

I do not condone the wearing or use of Alligator skins for boots etc.. but the market is there and is going to stay there so IF people are going to do it.. then why not allow the farming so the Wild population is protected?

I would not myself be an alligator farmer,.. but It was a solution to a real problem and in the end the gators have won.. minus the ones who are now boots of course!

Try doing a search on Alligator farming... lots of good links

Good Luck

Wismom

Answer 3

As soon as the European peoples arrived in North America and started settling in the crocodiles territory, they began to kill them as they posed a threat to the settlers. Then to make matters worse, they discovered that the crocodile skin could be used for a number of useful products so hunters became poachers and the crocodile was in serious danger. This went on from the 18th through the 20th centuries. They are now protected and from what I read, they are making a fine comeback. They are doing so well that they are becoming a nuisance again.

Answer 4

Humans are encroaching on their habitat, as well hunting them for meat/hides or killing them because they pose a threat.

Answer 5

Its too many people killing them for their territory and skin. Too many gator shoes.