Many people dream of sharing their property with rare and amazing wildlife, but one woman on Florida's Sanibel Island is finding that there are certainly drawbacks to such a dream — like coming face-to-face with a 10-foot crocodile when you set foot in your backyard.
What's happening?
Carolyn David's home is situated along Sanibel's wildlife corridor, an area designated for the island's wildlife to roam freely, as Florida news station WINK reported earlier in April.
David recently found a crocodile near her sliding glass door. The homeowner has since seen it regularly returning to an area near the water, possibly preparing for the spring nesting season.
"It's the most incredible creature you ever saw," David told the news outlet, acknowledging concern as well as respect. "This is their territory. It's not ours."
According to the National Park Service, there are two crocodilian species native to the United States — the American alligator and the American crocodile — and South Florida is the only place you can find both.
The first known crocodile on Sanibel appeared in someone's backyard in 1979 and proceeded to lay its eggs there regularly for over 30 years, according to WINK. As a threatened and protected species, these creatures are still rare in South Florida, so it's a noteworthy event whenever they pop up.
Why is this crocodile sighting important?
Florida crocodiles are rare creatures with a population that was down to just a few hundred around 50 years ago. Conservation efforts have proven quite successful, with the current population estimated at around 2,000 adults. Still, the species is classified as threatened.
David's backyard is near Sanibel's wildlife corridor, as WINK noted, and because of several recent hurricanes, water in her yard has become brackish, creating an ideal environment for the animals.
As extreme weather continues to lead to an increase in powerful storms like hurricanes, it's likely there will be an increase in human-wildlife interactions that could be dangerous for both parties.
As residents continue to see changes to their backyards after major storms, and crocodiles need to go beyond their normal habitat to find nesting grounds, encounters like this one are becoming more common.
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I already have 😎 What's being done about the Florida crocodile population?
In David's case, the city and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are working with her to come up with solutions that will protect both humans and crocodiles. One possible solution noted in the WINK article is building a fence between David's backyard and the wildlife corridor, and another is using landscaping to build a natural barrier.
Interestingly enough, a center for the Florida crocodile population renaissance was a nuclear power plant. In the late 1970s, several crocodile nests were discovered at Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station. Rather than giving them the boot, Florida Power & Light decided to look after the endangered species squatting on their property.
The population flourished from there. In 2022, Florida Power & Light estimated a record 33 crocodile nests and 512 hatchlings tagged and released. Now, it seems encounters like Carolyn David's are becoming more frequent. In fact, another crocodile was spotted right on Sanibel Island earlier this year.
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