World’s most threatened crocodile released into the wild

17/08/2009 16:15:21 Philippine crocodiles released in Luzon

August 2009. 50 captive-bred Philippine crocodiles (Crocodylus mindorensis) have been released into the wild in Dicatian Lake, Isabela Province, Luzon Island. This was the end of a long journey for the 1.2m long crocodiles which began their journey in Palawan, were flown to Manila before being transferred to their release site.

Ten of the crocodiles have been fitted with radio transmitters and their movements will be monitored by the Mabuwaya Foundation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to see how they adapt to their new habitat, and to gather scientific information as a basis for future crocodile reintroductions.

Critically endangered
The critically endangered Philippine crocodile is the most severely threatened crocodile species on the planet and is endemic to the Philippines. It has virtually disappeared due to hunting, destructive fishing and habitat loss and it is estimated that only 100 mature individuals survive in the wild.

Dicatian Lake was selected as the best site for the reintroduction as it is located within one of the most important protected areas of the Philippines (the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park), it contains an abundance of prey species, and no people living directly adjacent to the lake.

Nearby communities, which have been actively involved in a consultation process, are supportive of the reintroduction scheme and it is hoped that they will be able to generate an alternative income from a small community-based ecotourism project. They have received training from the Department of Tourism and facilities for crocodile-spotting, bird watching and camping have been built on the edge of the lake. The community-based crocodile conservation programme was implemented by the Mabuwaya Foundation with funding from the Rufford Maurice Laing Foundation.

In recent years the Mabuwaya Foundation, in collaboration with the provincial government of Isabela, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Isabela State University and rural communities, has worked tirelessly on the ground to save this critically endangered species from extinction. The release of these crocodiles is a major step towards a recovery of the wild population and the future survival of this species.

The Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) started supporting this team (comprising of Filipino and Dutch conservationists) in 2002, and a CLP follow-up grant in 2003 funded the establishment of the Mabuwaya Foundation.