By Gaby Oraa and Efrain Otero
The 34-year-old Venezuelan biologist Carlos Alvarado has one hand around the juvenile crocodile's neck and the other gripping its tail. Using tape and calipers, he measures the creature, monitoring its development just a few days prior to releasing it back into nature.
The narrative surrounding Alvarado and the Orinoco crocodile under his care embodies a story of hope and perseverance despite insurmountable challenges.
Less than 100 Orinoco crocodiles — among the biggest living reptiles globally — still survive in their natural environment, as reported by the Venezuelan conservation organization FUDECI. These creatures primarily inhabit the Orinoco river basin, spanning much of Venezuela and extending into parts of Colombia.
For decades, the men and women of the Venezuelan Crocodile Specialist Group have been raising younglings of the critically endangered species in captivity in a race against time to avoid its extinction.
But they say they are losing that race. Decades of poaching for leather pushed the Orinoco crocodile to the brink, and now struggling Venezuelans who hunt the animals for meat and take their eggs for food threaten to deal the final blow. The members of the Crocodile Specialist Group are not getting any younger – and the next generation of biologists has mostly fled turmoil in Venezuela for jobs elsewhere .
Alvarado remains alone to take up the baton. It is, he says, “a great responsibility”. He has a sense of mission. He is trying to persuade university students to take part in the conservation effort.
Federico Pantin, who is 59 years old, remains pessimistic. As the director of the Leslie Pantin Zoo located in Turmero, close to Caracas, he oversees an establishment that focuses on protecting endangered species. This zoo, situated in Turmero, is also one of the facilities involved in nurturing baby crocodiles.
He mentions that we're merely postponing the Orinoco's extinction.
Pantin and his colleagues keep on going, however – researching, measuring, transporting.
The researchers document the locations where the long-snouted Orinoco typically nest, gathering their eggs or hatchlings. Additionally, they facilitate breeding among adult specimens housed at the zoo and at Masaguaral Ranch—a center for biodiversity located close to Tamarindito in central Venezuela—which operates as both a ranch and a cattle farm.
The scientists raise the babies, feeding them a diet of chicken, beef and vitamins until they are about a year old and grow to a weight of around 6 kg (13 lb).
Adult Orinoco crocodiles can grow longer than 5 meters (16 feet), and they can survive for many decades — an individual known as Picopando, who is 70 years old, lives at Masaguaral Ranch. These mature creatures possess robust, bony armor, powerful jaws, and razor-sharp teeth. It’s wise to approach them with caution.
However, when newly hatched, a researcher can hold one in their hands.
Omar Hernandez, aged 63, who works as a biologist and leads FUDECI, marks the small foot of a young turtle at the Leslie Pantin Zoo. He states that several actions will be essential for saving the species, including conducting research, providing protection, promoting education, and implementing management strategies.
We handle the management, gather the hatchlings, raise them for twelve months, and then release them," he states. However, "this is virtually the sole activity taking place. Moreover, it isn’t happening on a large scale.
Each year, this organization sets free approximately 200 juvenile crocodiles into their natural habitat.
Hernandez states that the biologists wait until they reach one year of age, which is the most crucial phase in their lives. During this time, "nearly all" are usually targeted by hunters.
In April, Reuters joined forces with the researchers as they released this year's group of animals. The juvenile creatures were put into containers, with their mouths secured, for transport from the zoo to the Capanaparo River, located deep within western Venezuela near the Colombian border, an area sparsely populated by humans. This section of the river runs through privately owned territory, which decreases the chances that these animals will be quickly targeted.
Alvaro Velasco, aged 66, who sports an Orinoco crocodile tattoo on his right shoulder, taped shut the eyes of a young animal to prevent it from getting stressed during transport.
People often inquire why I focus on crocodiles; they find them unattractive," stated Velasco, who serves as the president of the Crocodile Specialist Group. "In my view, these creatures are remarkable. After releasing them, they remain nearby, seemingly contemplating their purpose within the vast expanse of the river before eventually swimming away.
The researchers, crocodiles, and helpers were transported via pickup trucks down the muddy trails to a riverside encampment, where the people passed the night slumbering in hammocks.
The following day, they carefully took the crocodiles out of their boxes and transported them to the river.
The young ones slipped into the murky, green-tinged water.
"Perhaps many of these creatures will perish tomorrow or the following day due to insufficient public awareness and, naturally, out of desperation for food," stated Hernandez. His remarks mirrored Pantin's view that the Orinoco crocodile was probably destined for extinction.
However, he stated, "We're persistent. This serves as a method to postpone extinction, and it's an action within our power to undertake. If we held out for ideal conditions, those would never arrive."
Provided by Syndigate Media Inc. ( Syndigate.info ).
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