Scientist Defends Croc After Pre-dawn Caye Caulker Attack

On Monday night, we told you about a frightening crocodile attack on Caye Caulker that sent an American woman to the hospital with serious arm injuries. The incident is now drawing sharp reactions from the public. Tonight, the Executive Director of the Crocodile Research Coalition, Dr. Marissa Tellez, is responding to growing calls from angry residents demanding that the crocodile be hunted down and killed. She says the animal wasn’t acting aggressively, but defensively, triggered by nesting season and human encroachment. Dr. Tellez is urging the public to understand crocodile behavior before calling for drastic measures. Here’s what she told us.

 

Dr. Marissa Tellez, Executive Director, Crocodile Research Coalition

“When an attacks happens, usually the root of the problem is not the bad behavior of the crocodile, it is usually the bad behavior or maybe some misinformation or miseducation by some humans. So it is really important to understand that the crocodile did not attack to kill this woman or eat this woman. We see that because it was a defense bite. If the crocodile truly wants to take down prey, it does not let go. This crocodile has the strongest bite force out of any other animal in the world and when you look at documentaries of, lets say, Nile crocodiles, they bite on to a zebra and hold on. When it is a defense bite, they bite and let go right away. So this crocodile was giving this woman a warning and right now this time of the year you do see an increase of attacks around this region. It is called the American crocodile because you can find it across the region and around this time of the year it is nesting season and the females want to protect their nest and babies. And from what I remember from studying the crocodiles on Caye Caulker is that northern part of the caye, crocodiles nest there.”

 

Doctor Tellez says another possible cause is that crocodiles typically feed during the early morning, around the same time the American woman went to swim. 

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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