Proceedings of the 18th Working Meeting of the Crocodile Specialist ...

The results here summarized do not imply, in any sense, that commercial use of wild
Morelet's crocodiles is warranted. Any ranching, or other extractive projects, must
await availability of detailed research and monitoring on particular populations, and
critical evaluation of results.
Recently, a tri-national workshop (Belize-Guatemala-Mexico Trinational Workshop
on Management and Conservation of Morelet’s Crocodile) held in Mexico City (April
2006), fostered the development of a regional strategy for the conservation and
sustainable management of the species, aimed to ensure cooperation for the
conservation of the species in the long term, along its whole distribution range. The
Trinational Workshop defined an agenda: tasks, timing and responsible
persons/agencies. This initiative is a follow up of results derived from the Petén
Agreement (2001) and has resulted in agreements for the implementation of the
strategy. The three countries plan to:
Carry out population surveys in properly defined priority areas (systematic and
coordinated monitoring, with standardized field work methods and techniques).
Develop a shared information system (biological and geographical).
Identify priority areas and routes (for conservation, surveillance, and with future
potential for ranching).
Support and develop education programs and outreach materials.
Promote personnel training / experience exchange (including field techniques and
surveillance).
Promote species' friendly productive projects (closed cycle farms and, eventually,
future ranching), along with the development of a licit regional market and a
certification strategy for C. moreletii products in the three countries.
Raise funds in support of the activities and tasks outlined in the strategy.
Also, a tri-national Coordination Group supported by three Consulting boards
(Scientific-Technical, Management, and Law Enforcement) was established, and
specific progress indicators were defined according to the strategy's goals.
Based on the above, government offices (agencies) in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize
would be expected to promote and support periodic updates of field data in all three
countries, so that this first evaluation can be updated, and conservation decisions can
be agreed upon in a timely, appropriate fashion.
11. Credits
Field surveys and database: COPAN Project (J. Domínguez-Laso y L. Sigler,
Coordinators). Scientific advice and research: O. Sánchez. General coordination and
support: Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad
(CONABIO; H. Benítez, J. Álvarez-Romero, P. Mosig, and A. García-Naranjo).
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