Population status of the american crocodile (Crocodylus acutus, Cuvier 1807)Population status of the american crocodile (Crocodylus acutus, Cuvier 1807) localized in the Turiamo bay, Aragua state, Ven localized in the Turiamo bay, Aragua state, Venezuela.

ALVARO VELASCO; SAMUEL HILEVSKI

Santa Fe

Congreso; 25th Working Meeting of the Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),; 2021

Academia de Ciencias Físicas, Matemáticas y Naturales

The american crocodyle (Crocodylus acutus) is one of the five species of crocodiles present in Venezuela. As result of different anthropogenic activities, numerous populations of the Venezuelan coastal region are diminished or extinct. Its vulnerability is considered "Endangered" by official decree and considered as "Threatened" species by IUCN, CITES and the Red Book of Wildlife of Venezuela. The existing population in the bay of Turiamo, Aragua state, located in the center of the northern coastal region of Venezuela (10 ° 27'17.55''N, 67 ° 50'55.22''O) is reduced, making it susceptible to stochastic and anthropogenic events that modify it. For these reasons, studies aimed at the conservation of C. acutus are of paramount importance. The research was developed with the objective of determining the population status of the american crocodiles situate in the bay of Turiamo. Between August 2015 and November 2016, nocturnal censuses were carried out by direct counting, during the new moon phase, on footpaths along riverbanks, and on boats along the west coast and brackish lagoon, 25 caimans were observed in this environment and the presence of at least 38, being 11 of these individuals in class I, 14 class II, 6 class III, 1 class IV and 6 Without Classification, this being its population age. These results are mainly associated to the behavior of the animal, the activities of the area, the experimental design and errors associated to the researcher. This information was compared with past censuses and a downward population trend is observed in the numbers of individuals present in the bay of Turiamo in the last 15 years. To conclude that the principals age of stages in the population are the I and II. The population of american crocodiles are relegate to the brackish lagoon on account of the constant war practices and survivor exercises. Although to the tendency indicate an establishment of the population of crocodiles, this are decreasing, fact support to the decline of their individuals along the last 13 years. Under the conservation of the species, future actions are proposed that raise its population numbers, considering the shelter and the environmental impact that implies to be in an area of restricted access and of military use.