Panama Facing Crocodile Population Explosion
By Grisel Bethancourt for the Panama America - Panama is in danger of facing an overpopulation of crocodiles in areas like the Panama Canal drainage basin, thanks to the lack of a plan to manage the species. Basic information is missing, such as how many crocodiles there are and where they are, because a study started in 2001 by the Smithsonian and the Institute of Farming Investigation, was stopped in 2005 due to lack of funding. The subject becomes relevant after the disappearance this week of a fisherman who was dragged into Miraflores lake along the shores of the Panama Canal by an enormous crocodile. This lake is visited by families who fish for Peacock Bass and Tilapia in the area. A specialist from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Miryam Venegas, recommended that authorities should place a restriction in the area of Miraflores when the crocodiles are procreating, during the months of January and February. Editor's Comment: Ah, the law of unintended consequences. Back when the US ran the canal they had a three-man team who patrolled Gatun Lake, mostly at night. One drove the boat, another ran the spotlight, and the third had a rifle with a scope. When they spotted a large crocodile they would put a round right between his eyes and move on. The survivors learned to be afraid of men, or die. The canal administration had this program in effect since the days of the construction of the canal and it was implemented because it was required. A large adult crocodile can weigh a ton and they are on the top of any food chain in the environment where they exist. We people are scooby-snacks to them. When Panama took over the control of the Panama Canal one of the first things they did was to eliminate the crocodile population control program because they wanted to run a more ecologically friendly canal. And now, seven years later, there are a whole bunch more crocodiles in the lake than there ever has been before, and they are getting bigger. More crocodiles means more competition for food and resources and they will expand to the limits of the range. The large maturing adults will continue to grow, and these kinds of attacks will become more frequent. And then, sooner or later, the Panama Canal Authority will reverse their decision and will begin to control and manage the herd, and the only way to do that is with a .30-06, unless you want to swim over there and convince "two-ton-toothy" to come along nicely. Nice puppy. Sit. Goooood boy.
Cocodrilos se reproducen sin control en el país
El área canalera es muy visitada los fines de semana por pescadores.
Grisel Bethancourt
PANAMA AMERICA
PANAMA ESTA en peligro de enfrentar una sobrepoblación de cocodrilos en áreas como la cuenca canalera, por la falta de un plan para el manejo de la especie.
Hace falta información elemental, como cuántos son y dónde están, porque el estudio genético iniciado en el 2001 por el Smithsonian y el Instituto de Investigación Agropecuaria, se paralizó en el 2005 por falta de recursos.
El tema toma vigencia, luego de la desaparición, esta semana, de un pescador arrastrado al lago Miraflores, en las riberas del Canal, por un enorme cocodrilo. Este lago es visitado por familias enteras que se dedican a la pesca de sargentos y tilapias.
La especialista del Instituto Smithsonian, Miryam Venegas, recomendó la implantación de una época de restricción en el área de Miraflores, cuando las cocodrilos están procreando, entre los meses de enero y febrero.
