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An Action Plan for Their Conservation

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An Action Plan for Their Conservation Crocodiles An Action Plan for their Conservation Compiledby JohnThorbjarnarson Editedby Harry Messel,F. WayneKing, andJames Perran Ross IUCN/SSCCrocodile Specialist Group JA4 ,P\ I UCN Speies Survlul Comh lsbn. A Globil Nr.r*ork for Sp(i6 Sn.vlvd Habirat and $enhing natnnl EsourcesaE underincreasing presures everywheElrm hmankind. SFcies, the &sic bioiic uik, aE consequeny inceasiryly drcdded wid crrincrion. To pmred ard mnseNc bidlivesny fl1n sp..i€s level ro.osy{em requiresmanagfl.nt basedonundc^bndin8 of ndjn$ biolqiel scicnccs,bor aLsotnoslcd8c of l@al culturcs,mvimmc.ul ccoonics, sd sovcmcnel $rudurcs and dy.mics. AnoB inEmario.al €spdses ro deal wnn rhis cdpl*nt is lne SF.ies Sufllval Cmntsid (SSC), a cdmissim of IUCIi-The Wodd C.nsedarion Urnd, Iou.dc! in 1949, the SSC network bas 4,000 voluke. nember sci6ti$, fieLd Ese.rched, sovcnnchbl ofiicirls. rnd msedrLio leade* in 155 coud;es. 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Found&1in 1943,rUCN enruDs sovcEisn {abs,sovemnenbl asencies,rsarch inslitlrions. and no sovcmmertslor8aniatios b @nsenc tbc soddt natunl heribse. Besides drycloping SoeBl consefl.lio. pot,cy, such* lhe world ConseraLionSLnt.sy,IUCN nrases cmserydion prcjeds sorld*ide, includin8 prcjc.t m loPcdl loreis, wedandsin.tue eosyiens, thesahel, and su{dnable ddel.pnenl For orc infomalion on the Soccics Suflivai Cmnnsid and IUCN-'De Wodd ConsepaLion Union, sntacr l0cN, Avenue du Monr Blanc, Cl I I 196Cland, SwnE lmd. Tchpnoc (22)649I l4r Telefax (22F42 926. Thh publislions asproducc! by IUC^"-lne Wo d ConseryationUnion, in mllatirBtid *idr $e WorldWide Iund for NaruEoVW!). andthe IUC\'/ SSCPctr So! Ac.ionPl.n lud Nhichwrs csbblishedby r Bdcous sih nm tncSule.aE oI Onan. O 192 lnbn.rioal Unid ror co.sesarion ot Nahrc and Natunl Rcsourccs ReFoductim oI L\is publicationlor cdualimal ard o|Jr.inoo cmncrcialpuposcs is aulhorizd winou.Fmnsid flrn rhc cq,yri8hr holdcr,troridcd rhc sou{c r .ned and rhe .opyriaht holdcr Mcives a coPy ot $e reprcduccd maknal Itc[oductim for rcsrle or olljer tumnerci,l pu@ses i prohibitedwithout pnorvnuen Fmissio or lne copyngh ho]dcr PublishcLlby iLlcl{. Gland,Svnk and Cor..photor Conmon dimaa, Cainan.n.ndilut, ia v$uud! (Photo bt R, Codshrlk). Crocodiles An Action Planfor their Conservation Compiledby JohnThorbjarnarson Editedby Harry Messel,F. WayneKing, andJames Perran Ross IUCN/SSCCrocodile Specialist Group g. \M wwr (140 km surveyed), River-0.0-l (120 km hatchlings, and habitat destruction were listed as conservation surveyed) (Hutton problems. Management and Conservation Programs: Crocodiles are Management and Conservation Programs: Fully protected protected under the Wildlife (Conservation and Management) by Decision of the President, 1978 (Klemm and Navid 1989). Act which requires a permit for exploitation. Limited permits were issued to Baobab Farm for egg collection. Since 1984, the Country Rating uncontrolled collection of eggs, hatchlings, and even adult Survey Data: II-surveys planned crocodiles the River by Mamba Village Crocodile Wild Population Status: 1 -unknown Farm has caused a great deal of concern. Currently Baobab Management Program: C-legislation Farm is operating as a crocodile farm and Mamba Village as a ranching operation (Hutton 1989a). Kenya has received a 5,000 hide export quota under CITES, increasing to 6,000 in 1991 Dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis) (Hemley 1989). Status of Wild Populations: No recent survey data are available. Along with the other two species, 0. was Country Rating reported to be common in the mangroves surrounding the Survey Data: III-basic survey data capital of Monrovia. A historical reference mentions this Wild Population Status: 4-depleted/vulnerable species using holes dug into forested riverbanks 1982). Management Program: E. 1 -cropping, Waitkuwait (1989) states that this species can be found in the Loffa, St. Paul, Cess, and Douabe rivers. Contact: R.D. Haller, Dr. Jon M. Hutton, Ariel Zilber Management and Conservation Programs: Fully protected by Decision of the President, 1978 (Klemm and Navid 1989). Liberia Country Rating Slender-snouted crocodile Survey Data: I-no survey planned Nile crocodile Wild Population Status: 1 -unknown Dwarf crocodile Management Program: C-legislation Contact: Alexander Peal Slender-snouted crocodile (Crocodylus cataphractus) Status of Wild Populations: No recent survey data are available. C. was reported to be abundant in the Madagascar St. Paul, St. John, and rivers in the late 1960s. More Nile crocodile recent reports suggest that this species was common in the mangroves surrounding the capital of Monrovia, where little hunting was taking place. Poaching and habitat destruction Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) were considered to be problems. Waitkuwait (1989) states that Status of Wild Populations: Aerial and nocturnal counts of 36 this species can be found in the Loffa, St. Paul, rivers and lakes were conducted in 1987-1988 by Behra and Cess, and Douabe rivers. Hutton (1989). Crocodiles were found to be widespread, especially along the island’s west coast, but densities were very Management and Conservation Programs: Fully protected low. The highest observed density based on aerial survey was by Decision of the President, 1978 (Klemm and Navid 1989). (Mangoky River; 180 km surveyed), which is well below the densities observed in Zimbabwe or Zambia (Hutton Country Rating 1989a). Survey Data: III-basic survey data Overhunting is considered to pose a serious threat to croco- Wild Population Status: 4-depleted/vulnerable dile populations in Madagascar. Also, the rapid growth of the Management Program: C-legislation human population and extensive rice cultivation indicates that large amounts of crocodile habitat are being lost (Behra and Hutton 1989). Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) Status of Wild Populations: No recent survey data are avail- Management and Conservation Programs: Prior to 1988, able. The account in Pooley (1982) suggests that the species is crocodiles were considered vermin and no effort was made to endangered but also reports that it is common in the mangroves control hunting. By decree in 1988, crocodiles were reclassi- surrounding the capital of Monrovia. Hide hunting, sale of fied as game animals, and hunting is regulated by permit. The official hunting season is 1 May through the first Sunday in population was transferred to CITES Appendix II in 1985 October. However, in October, 1988 hunting was reported to (Resolution Conf. 5.21) and an export quota of 500 was estab- be continuing unabated (Hutton 1989a). lished. The quota for cropped skins was increased to 700 in In 1985, Madagascar asked for and received an annual quota of 1,000 crocodiles under Resolution Conf. 5.21. Only 155 quota was given At the 1989 skins were exported in 1985, but this increased to 600 skins in CITES conference, the Malawi crocodile population was trans- 1986. The 1987 quota was also 1,000, but an additional 2,651 ferred to Appendix II under the ranching criteria so no stockpiled skins were authorized for export by CITES as a step imposed limits on ranched hides are in effect. This was done to encourage the government to develop a sustainable use with the understanding that Malawi would reduce its wild management policy. One thousand skins were exported in cropping program. However, at the 1989 CITES conference 1988. During the period 1985-1989 it is estimated that 17,500 Malawi indicated that a limited amount of cropping would crocodiles were killed in Madagascar, mostly for local sale of continue, including the removal of nuisance animals. goods to tourists (CITES 1989). dile predation on humans accounts for some deaths a year In 1989, Madagascar requested to keep its crocodile popu- (Hutton 1989a). lation on Appendix II under the provisions of Resolution Conf. One crocodile ranch, the Dwanga Crocodile Ranch, is cur- 3.15 (ranching criteria). This request was turned down but the rently in operation. Beginning in 1984 this ranch was given an crocodile population was kept on Appendix II pursuant to annual quota of 2,000 eggs, which was reduced in 1986 to 1,600 Resolution Conf. 5.2 1, with a zero quota for 1990, and an annual eggs. Another ranch was reportedly being established in quota of 2,000 ranched skins for 1991-1992. Mangochi. The Dwanga Crocodile Ranch has had high Madagascar has proposed an ambitious ranching program, ling and low mortality rates and is aiming at a production of and this is being supported through an FAO crocodile manage- 1,600 skins per year. The ranch has also established a small ment project. However, at present only is in operation breeding population of crocodiles for farming purposes (CITES in Madagascar. Furthermore, the wild populations have been 1989). The Malawi government requires the release of 5% of cropped so severely that there are no known areas where a the ranched crocodiles into the wild, and 50 juveniles were scale egg collection program can be initiated (Behra and Hutton released in 1987 (Hutton 1989a).
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