Moving North? Rare Sight Finds American Crocodile in Central Florida

Once in a while, animals end up in places outside their natural range or habitat. Sometimes, it’s just because they’re migrating. But in some cases, it’s a one-off sighting that may be caused by various factors. This is the case with American crocodiles and their recent rare sightings in Central Florida, which suggests they’re moving north. 

Five Cool Facts About the American Crocodiles

American crocodiles are amazing creatures and are known for their powerful jaws and impressive size. While they may not be as well-known as their alligator cousins, these crocodiles are just as interesting and worthy of attention.

Here are five cool facts about American crocodiles that you may not know:

• They are found only in the Americas: despite their name, American crocodiles are not found all over North and South America.
• They are great swimmers: American crocodiles are incredibly fast swimmers, and they can swim at speeds of up to 20 miles per hour.
• They are social animals: while many people think of crocodiles as solitary creatures, American crocodiles are actually quite social.
• They are threatened by habitat loss: As wetlands and other areas where they live are destroyed or altered, their populations are declining.
• They can communicate through infrasound: American crocodiles are able to communicate with each other through a low-frequency sound known as infrasound.

Where Are American Crocodiles Found? 

In America, South Florida is the primary location for American crocodiles. They’ve grown and thrived in numerous saltwater and brackish water habitats, including mangrove swamps, coves, and ponds in that region. It is also possible to find them further down south in Hispaniola, Cuba, and Jamaica. They live along the Caribbean Coast, from southern Mexico to Venezuela. Their range on the Pacific Coast extends from Mexico to Peru. 

Going Up North

Surprisingly, there have been reports of crocodile sightings northward in Florida’s freshwater areas. These reports of American crocodiles in Central Florida are the farthest northern sightings, beyond the usual range of these crocs. 

The latest rare sighting report is from December 4, 2022, in Brevard County. The Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program confirmed the report, adding that this is the “very north end of their range.”

This is not the first time that crocodiles will be sighted up north. Another of these sightings was reported in 2019. But this latest case of an eight-foot-long crocodile on a beach in the same region might be the crocodiles’ way of saying they can live up north too. 

Before the December 2022 sighting, a video of a crocodile on a beach in Indian River County made waves on social media in November. This crocodile was also around eight feet long, leading to suggestions that it might be the same as the Bravard County croc.

An eight-foot-long crocodile is considered young since the mature adult grows as long as 14 to 20 feet. Many people think it might be the same young crocodile enjoying its winter break on the beaches at the far north end of its range. But it might also be a different one, which might suggest that American crocodiles are indeed moving north. 

Moving North: American Crocodile Range Overlaps With Alligators

What makes this sighting more surprising is that American alligators, rather than crocodiles, mainly inhabit Central Florida. They’re present in the rivers, lakes, swamps, and marshes in all the counties of Florida and have been there for centuries. Meanwhile, American crocodiles are more common in the Caribbean and south Florida. 

This is why crocodile sightings outside of this range are likely to make the news. As Florida’s human population increases, there’s an increase in interactions between alligators and humans and an increased risk of conflict. But crocodiles were not really part of the discussion in this part of the state until now. 

Moving North: Will American Crocodiles Survive Up North?

If the suggestion that American crocodiles are moving north is true, then it means they’re gradually extending their range. The American crocodile already has an extensive range that goes down Mexico’s west coast, to the Caribbean and all the way to South America’s northwestern coast. But unlike American alligators, they’re not everywhere in Florida. American crocodiles have shown that they have what it takes to survive against all odds. 

Crocodiles live mostly in the southern part of Florida since that’s where they can find an abundance of saltwater and brackish water. However, even in these places, they’ve had to recover from nearly going into extinction. 

The increase in the human population in Florida in the 1900s led to infrastructural development in the coastal areas, which these animals naturally inhabited. This affected their population significantly. The species was listed as endangered in 1975. At the time, the total number of crocodiles in Florida was down to less than 300, and their nesting had already dropped to between 10 and 20 nests annually. 

Since then, they’ve recovered well. Currently, there are about 2,000 crocodiles in Florida, excluding hatchlings. The annual nesting has also gone up to over 100 nests. Their recovery has led to their conservation status being dropped to “threatened” on state and federal listings. 

Range Overlap and Possible Human Encounters

Crocodiles make themselves known wherever they are. As the number of individual crocodiles increases in Florida, the number of people complaining about crocodiles creating a nuisance has also increased. While there are no certainties yet, the sightings reported in unlikely regions like Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Brevard counties might truly indicate that they’re moving up north into places that are not their natural habitat. 

Crocodiles have shown their ability to adapt and survive by turning a corner in their conservation status. So, if the suggestion of them migrating and extending their range is true, then you have to believe they can also survive up north. If this happens, it means there’s a likelihood of frequent interactions between crocodiles and alligators, as well as with humans, in this part of Florida. 

Can American Crocodiles and American Alligators Coexist?

The simple answer to this question is yes. Crocodiles and alligators can coexist peacefully, and the Everglades in Florida are proof of this. This is the only known environment where both animals coexist peacefully in Florida. If you go on an Everglades tour, you’re likely to see both animals. However, the likelihood of seeing alligators is higher because they outnumber crocodiles. 

There has been no report of a conflict between the alligators and crocodiles in this area. If there’s any conflict at all, it’s happening in your head as you try to distinguish between an American crocodile and an American alligator. 

Differences Between American Crocodiles and Alligators

American crocodiles and American alligators have some things in common, but they also have a lot of differences. They belong to the same order, Crocodylia, but their families are different. While alligators belong to the Alligatoridae family, crocodiles belong to the Crocodylidae family. In addition to the taxonomic differences, there are a few other differences in both reptiles’ physical appearance and behavior. 

Some physical differences include color (crocodiles tend to be lighter), the shape of their snouts (alligators have a wide and round U-shaped snout, while crocodiles have a long, pointed, and lean V-shaped snout), and jaw closure.

Alligators prefer to live in freshwater, while crocodiles mostly live in saltwater or brackish water. However, crocodiles have an extensive range of habitats and are adaptable enough to live in freshwater as well. Alligators can only live in freshwater because they don’t have the salt glands that crocodiles do, which expel salt from their bodies. 

Both alligators and crocodiles are natural predators and can be aggressive toward other animals. However, they tend to be shy and docile toward humans. Generally speaking, crocodiles are more aggressive than alligators. However, recent reports suggest that American alligators in Florida may be more aggressive toward humans than American crocodiles.

In recent years, there have been over 20 reports of fatal alligator attacks in Florida, but there have been no reported fatal crocodile attacks. This may be due to the fact that there are more alligators than crocodiles in Florida, leading to a greater likelihood of human encounters with alligators.

Wrapping it Up

The several sightings of American crocodiles across the central and eastern parts of Florida have led to suggestions that they may be extending their range and migrating toward the north. However, there is currently no concrete evidence to support this claim. If this were to happen, it could potentially result in crocodiles and alligators coexisting in the same region. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Firepac/Shutterstock.com