CROCODILE RESEARCH COALITION
Mission Statement
A nonprofit organization devoted to promoting conservation of crocodiles and their habitats throughout Central America through community involvement, research, and education.
JOIN THE TEAM
The CRC accepts interns, volunteers, and research associates year-round to assist in our crocodile population surveys, biodiversity monitoring, and educational outreach events.
DONATE
“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.“ - Jane Goodall
Be a part of the CRC mission - make a difference and donate today!
ADOPT-A-CROC
By adopting one of our captive or rehabilitated crocs, you provide the support needed to home and provide the necessary veterinary and husbandry care for crocs and other wildlife that come through our wildlife triage and rehabilitation program.
RICK
On October 29, 2017, CRC received a call from Placencia Police at 5 am stating that they have an injured, ill crocodile. Meet Rick (named after the tv show Rick and Morty), a Morelet's (hybrid) crocodile that showed the signs of being someone's pet via his habituation to humans and poor physical state - Rick was partially blind and had a curved spine due to improper nutrition and being kept in a small enclosure. Although we rehabbed Rick back to health, he could not be released back into the wild due to his chronic physical ailments and habituation to humans.
AEMON
Maester Aemon, a 2m American (hybrid) crocodile, came under CRC's rehab after being rescued from Corozal District in November 2018. He was found emaciated and had severe damage to his eyes from a hard blow/machete chop to the head. Unfortunately, this croc has lost vision in one eye, with poor eyesight in the other, and his lack of vision likely led to his emaciation as crocs still use a bit of their vision for hunting. In 2 months with the help of The Kutunza Translation Facility where CRC temporarily rehabs some of our crocs, Aemon has almost doubled in weight with assistant feeding, and is already showing the signs of a good student in our target training program. Aemon was just moved to a permanent location under CRC 24/7 care. (For you Game of Thrones fans, you’ll know why we named him Aemon!).
Aemon has now taken on the important role as CRC’s Croc Ambassador, educating people about the truth of crocodiles, squashing false beliefs and misguided information. Aemon, along with other CRC rehabbed crocs, could use your support. Adopt-A-Croc and your donation will go towards food, enclosure upkeep, and veterinary care for Aemon and other crocs under our wildlife rehabilitation program. Sponsor $120US or more and get monthly updates of Aemon!
FOSTER CROCS
SAM & GILLY
In March 2019, CRC became the caretakers of 2 Morelet’s crocs that were originally permitted to a couple by Forest Department in Belize District. No longer to care for the mating pair, CRC was asked to “adopt” the crocs and become part of our Croc Ambassador program. These crocs are currently under rehabilitation as well as basic target training prior under CRC staff, and will soon find a permanent home at the CRC captive facility.
The Foster Crocs will soon be taking the role as CRC Croc Ambassadors, educating people about the truth of crocodiles, squashing false beliefs and misguided information. This mating pair, along with other CRC rehabbed crocs, could use your support. Adopt-A-Croc and your donation will go towards food, enclosure upkeep, and veterinary care for the Foster Crocs and other crocs under our wildlife rehabilitation program. Sponsor $120US or more and get monthly updates of CRC crocs!
A Load of Croc: April 2020 Egg-stravaganza
This month love was in the air as Mama crocs begin prepping their nests for egg laying, and Morelet’s croc breeding season just starting to warm-up. And despite the quarantine, the CRC continues to work from our croc caves- whether that is providing educational material, working on publications, or organizing and prepping for when we…
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Keep Calm and Croc On!
Prior to suspending research and outreach, and prepping the team for the months ahead in regards to the coronavirus, CRC had a normal month of research, outreach, and rescues in March. The first 2 weeks CRC was busy prepping for our participation in Reef Week. Reef Week is a yearly event done to raise awareness…
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CRC Celebrates 4 Years!
“If you build it, they will come.” Dear Crocodylian Lovers, Late January CRC celebrated our 4-year anniversary and OH MY how much we have accomplished for such a young organization! From the beginning, the CRC was surrounded by passionate community members, interns, volunteers, and students who wanted to make a positive footprint in the world,…
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The Tale of a Recaptured Croc
This snippet of A Load of Croc is written by CRC’s Research Biologist Jonathan Triminio. On Thursday, January 23, Research Biologist Jonathan Triminio led a series of surveys with CRC volunteers Brandon, Sara, and University of Belize student Tessa along the New River as part of our ongoing New River Monitoring Project (https://crocodileresearchcoalition.org/save-the-new-river/). These surveys…
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Jingle Bell Croc 2019!
The holiday season is the season of giving, and the Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC) threw in some jolly crocin’ spirit into the season of candy canes, Christmas stockings, and Mariah Carey resurrecting from the abyss (look up this pop culture reference, it will definitely give you a laugh). We started December off with the gift…
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Luke: A New Hope
A few days ago, in a river not so far away, Luke was found severely injured and emaciated by the CRC team during a routine nocturnal eyeshine survey of the New River. This special edition of aLoadofCroc is written by CRC Community Researcher Jonathan Triminio, and Co-Founder and Executive Director Dr. Marisa Tellez, and tells…
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Wading into Conservation with the CRC
“Rachel McWilliam was part of the CRC Intern Apprenticeship program for one month mid-2019. Like most internship experiences, Rachel’s experience to various parts of the country, wading through mangrove and mud for surveys, and conducting community outreach. Find out more about her experiences in the following testimonial.” It is hard to find the words to…
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“If you build it, they will come.”
This month’s ALoadofCroc is written by CRC’s Co-Founder and Executive Director Dr. Marisa Tellez as she discusses CRC’s next big step in local conservation and management- obtaining 25 acres for the CRC Research, Rehab and Environmental Science Center! I’ll give you the short version: I fell in love with apex predators at 5yrs old, at…
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Crocin’ around the Clock- CROCtober 2019
CRC celebrates CROCtober 2019 with A Load of Croc! This CROCtober at the Crocodile Research Coalition (CRC), we brought you 31 days of crocodile awareness in Belize! We joined other great partners in conservation efforts aimed at preserving Belize’s unique wildlife and ecosystems. We kicked off the month with a fun day of learning at…
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Droning in about Drones
This month’s A Load Of Croc is written by Matthew Sparks, M.S.c., a drone specialist from Wales, United Kingdom who as assisted the CRC in setting up a research project surveying the manatee and crocs of the Placencia Lagoon using drone technology. I’ve spent the last 6 months of my time with the Crocodile Research…
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