FANTASTIC BEAST PHILIPPINE CROCODILE (Crocodylus mindorensis) AND HOW

TO CONSERVE THEM

Bess A. Tulio

Submitted in partial fulfillment of BIO 155 under

Jayson Ibanez, PhD
Instructor

23 May 2018
 “If there are any creatures capable of provoking a range of emotion from us, they are
crocodiles…When we see crooks in the government, we call them crocodiles, when we see fat-
bellied policeman on the streets, we call them crocodiles…But how do you conserve a creature
despised by so many?”
These were the words that echoed inside the auditorium as Jose Ferrer, former
undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) gave a keynote
speech in a scientific forum in Manila last January 2007 (Van der Ploeg et al., 2011).
Philippine freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) or Mindoro crocodile is a small,
freshwater species with a golden-brown colored with transverse dark stripes and white on ventral
side. They have a broad snout and thick bony plates on its back, anatomically termed as a “heavy
dorsal armor”. As these creatures mature the brown color darkens. Their size is relatively ranging
from 1.5 meter to a maximum of 3.1 meter. One distinct morphological character to distinguish
C.mindorensis from the rest of the crocodiles is the presence of enlarged post-occipital scales (Ross
and Alcala, 2005).
Females Mindoro crocodile tend to be smaller in size than males. Only found in the
Philippines, Crocodylus mindorensis population is gradually decreasing and now categorized as
Critically Endangered (IUCN, 2016).
Originally, Philippine freshwater crocodile has been identified as C. novaeguineae
mindorensis, a sub-species of New Guinea crocodile and later treated as a full species that is
endemic to the Philippines known as C. mindorensis (Van Weerd, 2010).
Van Weerd (2010) remarked that at a certain body length of 1.5 meters and a body weight
of 15 kilograms both male and female captive Mindoro crocodile are now reproductively active.
Females will start building mounds of dried leaves, bamboo leaves, twigs and soil for nest during
dry season. The nest consist of 70% organic material such as dried leaves and branches and 30%
inorganic material such as soil and stones. After the eggs are lain male and females crocodiles
takes turns to watch over the eggs while the females has this routine round of visit to her nest every
early morning and afternoon (Akamad and Pomares, 2008).
What is very interesting is the temperature determines the sex of these majestic creatures
also called as temperature dependent sex determination. Evidences from artificial incubation,
observed that mostly females are produced at 30 to 31℃ and males are around 33℃ (Van Weerd,
2010).
Crocodylus mindorensis feed on preys such as fishers, shrimps, dragonflies, snails,
domestic pigs, dogs, cats, snakes and birds. Their behavior is more aggressive towards each other
as observed by Van Weerd (2010) in captivity. However, only juveniles show intraspecific
aggressive behavior and more likely to establish individual territories between the same size or
age classes. Adult crocodiles, on the other hand are seen in pairs swimming and basking under the
sun.
Since Philippine freshwater crocodile are endemic in Philippines, their natural habitats are
rivers, creeks, ponds and marshes from sea level up to at least 850 m above sea level as estimated
in the Cordillera Mountains of Luzon (Manalo 2008). Often live sympatrically with Crocodylus
porosus in the case of Pomares et al. (2008) account in Ligawan Marsh on Mindanao and coastal
wetlands of Isabela on Luzon.
 They are historically found in Luzon, Mindoro, Masbate, Samar, Jolo, Negros, Busuanga
and Mindanao (Ross and Alcala 1983) but now reduced to three localities -Dalupiri Island,
Northern Luzon and Ligawasan marsh and Lake Sebu on Southern Mindanao and their population
size are at a decreasing rate (IUCN, 2016).
The Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) considers Philippine Freshwater crocodile as the
second most endangered crocodile in the world and placed as the highest priority for wild species
recovery (Ross, 1998).
One of the factors causing this decrease in Mindoro crocodile population is egg predation
and anthropogenic nest and egg losses at a rate of 17% lost to natural predators and 13% to people
in Luzon and 2 of 3 nests poached by people in Mindanao (Akmad and Pomares 2008).
Other threats includes intentional killing for fear and ignorance and for crocodile hides,
food and trades (Banks, 2000). Dynamite and Cyanide fishing, pollution of rivers and streams,
habitat loss due to wetlands converted into agricultural areas but all leads to crocodile killing
(Banks, 2005).
It is easy for us to admire from a far the beauty of these creatures but for others, their
existence is a threat to their livelihood and even their life. It is hard to change our opinions
regarding these crocodiles especially if they are often compared to bad guys in media, the corrupt
government officials and how much more if you share the same habitat with crocodiles. The image
of these creatures has not in any way helped uplift the plight of the species (Banks, 2005).
Two national laws were implemented the first one is Republic Act No. 8485 also known
as the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 stating that “It shall be the duty of every person to protect the
natural habitat of wildlife. The destruction of the said habitat shall be considered a form of cruelty
to animals and its preservation is a way of protecting the animals”.
And Republic Act 9147 or Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001
which is (1) to conserve and protect wildlife species and their habitat (2) to regulate the collection
and tradeoff wildlife (3) to pursue the Philippine commitment to international conventions and
lastly (4) to initiate or support scientific studies on the conservation of biological diversity.
DENR also has a special order 2000-231, “Philippine Crocodile National Recovery Team”
(PCNRT), a team of local and international crocodile experts, professionals from the academe and
government officials that conspire to bring a stop to the declining population of C. mindorensis
and stop it from falling into the brink of extinction.
The PCNRT recovery plan includes captive management, ecological and genetic research,
protection of the wildlife population and their habitat, search of funding resources and reviewing
conservation policies but in order to have a successful recovery, release and restock program clear
genetic research about C. mindorensis was the top priority (Banks, 2005).
Somehow all the efforts of crocodile conservation is not always successful especially in
mobilizing locals to help, it seems to have a price and this is to use crocodiles as sustainable use
in locals. They use it to get profit from ranching and ecotourism and the ugly truth that only
economic incentives and money can transform “people’s antagonistic attitudes towards
crocodiles” loses the whole value of conservation policy and practice in Philippines. Yes, let’s
accept the fact that sustainable use can function as an income-generating mechanism to get locals
support for conservation but is morally wrong and unfair to use critically endangered Crocodylus
mindorensis for this process (Van der Ploeg et al., 2011).
I say that we change how the people see crocodiles, let’s erased the negative prejudice and
ideological narratives regarding these awesome creatures. Since we are living in the millennial age
we can use crocodiles like C. mindorensis as the subject to cute cartoons just like the ones in
Cartoon Networks show -We Bare Bears, we can influence the young children on how adorable
and cute these animals are that we can inspire them to conserve these creatures including adults.
We can start from adorable crocodile merchandise like statement t-shirts, notebooks, pens,
stuffed toys, bags etc. and the proceeds can be use as funds for Mindoro crocodile’s research and
management of the captives. The more we let the people fall in love to these fantastic beasts, the
more reasons they want to protect them and conserved them without the need to say the reasons
why we have to but because they want to whole-heartedly.
References:
Akmad, M.G. and Pomares, C.C. 2008. Wild Crocodylus mindorensis at Tambad, Carmen, North
Cotabato. Unpublished BSc (Agriculture), Department of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan, North Cotabato, Philippines.
Banks, C. 2000. National Recovery Plan for the Phuilippine Crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis.
2000-2006. Diliman, Quezon City- DENR-PAWB asnd the Royal Melbourne Zoological
Garden.
Banks, C. 2000. National Recovery Plan for the Phuilippine Crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis.
2005-2008. Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. Crocodylus mindorensis e.T5672A3048281.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20163.RLTS.T5672A3048281.en. (accessed
05.23.18).
Manalo, R. 2008. Occurrence of Crocodylus mindorensis in the Cordillera Central. Abra
Province, Luzon Island. National Museum Papers 14: 109-115.
Pomares, C.C., Pomares, M.P. and Escalera, C.M.R. 2008. The existence of wild crocodile
populations in Ligawasan Marsh and its tributaries. National Museum Papers 14: 116-
122.
Ross, C.A. and Alcala, A.C. 1983. Distribution and status of the Philippine crocodile
(Crocodylus mindorensis). Kalikasan: Philippine Journal of Biology 12: 169-173. (Ross,
1998).
Ross, C. A., & Alcala, A. C. 2005. Distribution and status of the Philippine crocodile
(Crocodylus mindorensis). Kalikasan: The Philippine Journal of Biology, 12, 169-173.
Van der Ploeg, J., van Weerd, M., Persoon, G. A. 2011. A cultural history of crocodiles in the
Philippines: Towards a new peace pact? Environment and History, 17, 229-264.

Van Weerd, M. 2010. Philippine Crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis. In S. C. Manolis & C.

Stevenson (Eds.), Crocodiles: Status survey and conservation action plan (3rd ed.,
pp. 71-78). Darwin, Australia: IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group.