Crocodylus acutus (American Crocodile) is not around as much as it used to be. The destruction of it's natural habitat as well as man's natural fear of the creature, and his tendency to kill what he fears, means that they are dwindling in the wild.

The c. acutus is the only one (of 21 species of crocs) that live in Jamaica. It is not as large nor as fierce as it's Australian cousin but has been known, on occasion, to attack people though more often people attack it!

It lives in both fresh water (Black River and Milk River) and brackish swamps (Holland Bay and Falmouth) though it is not unknown for crocs to be found nearer to cities in mangrove areas.

Crocodiles are protected under the Wildlife Act and you may face a fine of J$100,000 and/or 2 years in prison for killing one.

Other Green Jamaica Articles

Jamaica's Endangered Species

The Jamaican Crocodile

The Cockpit Country

The Blue Mountains

Jamaica's Bounty

The scene in Live and Let Die where James Bond runs across the backs of crocs was filmed at Swamp Safari in Trelawney and that was a Jamaican croc wrangler, not Roger Moore!

Crocs eat mostly fish and other aquatic life. They will sometimes eat birds and sick or injured animals that wander into their territory.

The average crocodile is between 10 to 15 feet in length but they can grow up to 20 ft (7m).

They breed between April and May and lay between 30-60 eggs.

Want to see a croc face to face?

http://www.jamaica-southcoast.com/blackriver.htm