Are There Crocodiles in Florida? The American Crocodile

Which crocodile lives in Florida?

Florida’s native crocodile is the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), a species that ranges from south Florida through the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America to northern South America. Florida is the northernmost tip of its range.

It is a large reptile. Adults in Florida commonly measure 2.5 to 3.8 m (8 to 12.5 ft) and weigh about 50 to 250 kg (110 to 550 lb), with a few big males growing larger. Despite its size it is a shy animal that usually slips into the water when people approach.

Where do crocodiles live in Florida?

American crocodiles in Florida are mostly found south of Miami, along the coast. Their main areas are:

• Everglades National Park, especially Florida Bay and the Flamingo area at the southern tip of the mainland.
• Biscayne Bay and Biscayne National Park, south of Miami.
• Key Largo and the upper Florida Keys, including Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
• The Turkey Point power plant near Homestead, whose network of cooling canals has become one of the most important nesting sites.

Individuals sometimes wander much farther north. Crocodiles have turned up in Palm Beach, Brevard, Sarasota and Pinellas counties, and occasionally in the Tampa Bay area. Their range is limited by cold: unlike alligators, crocodiles cannot survive long spells of cold water, and a severe cold snap in January 2010 killed many crocodiles in south Florida.

Within this range they prefer brackish and salt water: mangrove swamps, coastal creeks, bays, canals and ponds near the sea. For other animals of this habitat, see Everglades wildlife.

How many crocodiles are there in Florida?

Today Florida’s crocodile population is estimated at about 2,000 or more adults, not counting the many hatchlings and young animals. The story behind that number is one of the best conservation comebacks in the United States.

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, crocodiles were hunted for their skins and for collections, and coastal development destroyed much of their nesting habitat. By the mid-1970s only a few hundred crocodiles remained in Florida, with just a few dozen nests each year. In 1975 the species was listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Protection of nesting beaches, the creation of Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Key Largo in 1980 and careful management at sites such as Turkey Point allowed numbers to rise steadily. In 2007 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reclassified the Florida population from endangered to threatened, and crocodiles have since spread back into parts of the Florida Keys where they had vanished.

How to tell a crocodile from an alligator in Florida

The American alligator is far more common in Florida, with more than a million across the state, and it lives mostly in fresh water. The two can meet in brackish marshes in the far south, so it helps to know the differences.

More detail is in alligator vs crocodile.

Where to see crocodiles in Florida

The best place to see wild crocodiles is the Flamingo area of Everglades National Park, at the end of the main park road. Crocodiles often bask near the marina and along the nearby canal, and park staff can point out good viewing spots. Boat tours of Florida Bay and the backcountry also give good chances.

Biscayne National Park and the mangrove shores of the upper Keys are other options, although sightings are less predictable. Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge exists mainly to protect nesting habitat, so most of it is closed to the public.

Watch from a distance of at least several meters, use binoculars or a zoom lens, and never feed or approach a crocodile. Feeding wild crocodiles and alligators is illegal in Florida because animals that lose their fear of people can become dangerous.

Other crocodilians in Florida

Florida has two native crocodilians, the American alligator and the American crocodile. One non-native species has also become established: the spectacled caiman, a smaller relative from Central and South America, has bred in parts of Miami-Dade County since the mid-20th century after escaping or being released from the pet trade.

Nile crocodiles, the large African species, have also turned up. Between 2009 and 2014 a few young Nile crocodiles were captured in south Florida, and genetic tests confirmed their identity. Scientists think they escaped or were released from captivity, and there is no evidence of a breeding wild population.

Are crocodiles in Florida dangerous?

American crocodiles are much less aggressive than Nile or saltwater crocodiles, and in Florida bites are extremely rare. Most crocodiles flee from people. The main risk comes from animals that have been fed, because they learn to approach humans.

Sensible precautions are simple: keep well back from the water’s edge in crocodile areas, swim only in designated areas during daylight, keep dogs on a leash and away from the water, and never feed any crocodilian. Anyone who is bitten should call 911 and seek emergency medical help immediately.