So, coming to Costa Rica and crossing the bridge over the Tarcoles River was a dream come true for seven year old me! Even now, after crossing the bridge many times, I am still in awe of these ancient creatures. I do not think that I will ever lose my wonder for crocodiles and alligators.
The American crocodile is one of two species of crocodile that survives and thrives in a saltwater ecosystem, the other being the saltwater crocodile, and can be found in the neotropics from Florida to Peru. Currently, Costa Rica is home to one of the world’s biggest populations of American crocodiles! They usually prefer coastal areas, but are also known to inhabit rivers, lagoons, and basically anywhere with brackish water (water with a high salinity content, but less than saltwater). Here in Costa Rica, they enjoy sunning themselves on the banks of rivers close to the ocean or hanging out with surfers in the shallow waters and inlets.
One key way the American crocodile uses its environment is to swallow stones they find in the river or on the shore! They do this in order to control buoyancy and to aid in digestion.
Humans are the biggest threat to these amazing creatures. In the past, the species has suffered overexploitation and habitat loss. They are currently classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
