Crocodile Hatchling Rescued on Cozumel Highway

Cozumel, Mexico — Staff from the Center for Conservation and Environmental Education (CEA) of the Cozumel Parks and Museums Foundation (FPMC) responded to a citizen report made via 911 regarding the presence of a crocodile hatchling in the area of the southern coastal highway.

Biologist Rafael Chacón Díaz, director of the CEA, reported that upon receiving the alert, a search and rescue operation was launched, successfully relocating the specimen to a safe site with the purpose of protecting both the wildlife and the community.

He explained that, due to the intense rains recorded on the island, crocodiles tend to move more easily through the jungle and adjacent areas, which is why they can be seen in spaces near roadways.

In this sense, he called on the community to drive with caution and avoid running over animals, as in previous weeks the running over of two adult specimens was recorded, which unfortunately lost their lives as a consequence of insensitive people who do not understand the relevance of caring for wildlife in general.

For her part, the general director of the FPMC, Juanita Alonso Marrufo, emphasized that the New Agreement for the Well-being and Development of Quintana Roo, led by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, promotes the involvement of the community in caring for the environment.

She highlighted the importance of citizens collaborating by giving timely notice to the competent authorities in case of observing wildlife, especially species such as crocodiles, whose presence in urban areas represents a risk both for people and for the animals themselves.

The FPMC urged the population to remain calm and contact 987 112 97 91 if they detect specimens of wildlife outside their natural habitat.