Aiming to dispel doubts and citizen fear of crocodiles, the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) emphatically said there is no crocodile overpopulation in Costa Rica.
One of the most recent episodes occurred in a surf event, where several surfers noticed several crocodiles.
Since 2013, following various incidents, Costa Rican experts have been questioned about the behavior of crocodiles.
There is no overpopulation of crocodiles. The studies show that the population of the Central and North Pacific have recovered thanks to conservation policies of the last 20 years, but there is no data to suggest that there is an overpopulation,”
said MINAE in a recent report.
The attack suffered by an American surfer in Tamarindo, who lost his right leg, is one of the most recent incidents.
That’s why far from analyzing a possible overpopulation, experts believe that human growth and its activities affect the habitats.
Costa Rican crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) live in fresh or brackish water. Therefore, experts say that their presence in rivers, estuaries and mangroves is fairly normal.
When crocodiles attack, they do it in self-defense or when they lose their natural fear of humans. The latter occurs when their behavior is modified by human behavior, such as feeding them.