Ridge Runner Chronicles: Some Crocodile Precautions for My Friends in Florida – May 8, 2025
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By Bill Hoagland
Two new subspecies of crocodiles were discovered recently in the Caribbean, not all that far from Florida. That bit of news got me researching whether there are, by chance, any crocodiles in Florida. To my surprise, yikes, there are crocodiles in Florida and as it turns out, they are native to Florida, unlike the invasive Burmese python or iguana lizard. The crocodiles have been living in Florida for thousands and perhaps millions of years, long before Europeans got there. While the population has been somewhat unstable in recent years, it is estimated that currently Florida is home to about 3,000 crocodiles. These reptiles live in salt water and brackish water, unlike the Florida alligator, so they do not routinely live in the same habitat as the 1.5 million alligators in Florida nor do they interbreed with alligators. Their usual range in Florida is along the gulf coast from Tampa on the west coast of Florida all the way around to West Palm Beach on the east coast.
The biggest concentration of crocodiles in one spot in Florida, believe it or not, appears to be adjacent to the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, located south of Miami. At that power plant, there is a maze of canals (totaling more than 160 miles in length) next to the plant that are used to cool the nuclear reactors and from what I could tell, the crocs have those canals pretty much all to themselves. (I certainly would not be creeping around in the dark out there looking for pythons or iguanas.) That’s because the crocodile is a much more aggressive reptile than the alligator. That is not to say that the alligator has a spotless record. There have been over 440 unprovoked alligator attacks in Florida from 1948 to 2021, resulting in 26 human deaths; just since 2020, there have been 10 fatal alligator attacks in Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana. The crocodile, on the other hand, has not chalked up even one death yet (as far as we know) in Florida.
World-wide, crocodiles are responsible for 1,000 deaths a year. Obviously, many of these deaths occur in Africa and South Asia, but even Australia has significant numbers of humans who have been attacked and killed by crocodiles; the current average there is one or two fatalities a year. The problem is that the crocodile is a skillful predator and humans are on his list of preferred munchies. Crocodiles are truly prehistoric creatures; they have been on this planet for over 80 million years and except for humans, they have very few predators to worry about. Some crocodiles live to be more than 60 years old. And they have some unique predatory skills that help them survive; for example, they have the ability to submerge under water for over an hour as they lie and wait for a live meal to show up on the shoreline or in the water. When on land, they can run over six miles an hour for short distances but obviously, they are much more at home in the water and if they can get their victim into the water, it is pretty much over for the victim.
I was looking at the Australian government’s effort to warn the public there about the dangers of crocodiles. Since I have plenty of dear friends who live or spend time in Florida these days, I am passing along some helpful hints for them from our Australian friends just in case there are crocodiles swirling around in the canal next to your house or out in front of your beachfront home: (Yes, the following recommendations are actual recommendations from the Australian government). First, if sitting on a boat or dock, don’t dangle your feet or hands in the water. Don’t throw your dinner left-overs into the water. If you go to the water to fill buckets, don’t go to the same spot every time because your routine is being studied. If you encounter a crocodile on the shore, run away as fast as you can; don’t waste time running zig-zags. And if a crocodile grabs you, try repeatedly to gouge its eyes out because “this sometimes works”.
Oh and yes, you should probably avoid skinny-dipping after dark (my suggestion, not that of the Australian government.)
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■ Bill Hoagland has practiced law in Alton for more than 50 years, but he has spent more than 70 years hunting, fishing and generally being in the great outdoors. His wife, Annie, shares his love of the outdoor life. Much of their spare time is spent on their farm in Calhoun County. Bill can be reached at [email protected].
