Crocodile caught in Cayman

Female croc caught in Cayman
Photo: Tammie C. Chisholm

Animals especially marine animals never cease to amaze me. Everyone is guessing the Croc came from Cuba, Hispanola or Jamaica which are all places to have known living crocodiles. I however would like to think that this animal has been living right here in Cayman and that sightings of other crocodiles are true. There is just too much unexplored swamp land for us to say for sure that we have no crocodiles living in Cayman. Coolest thing though .. this gal was having a blast out in the open sea. Always nice to know we haven’t scared everything off from the deep blue yet. I still find it very amusing that the newspaper just mentions the fact that a local speared it with his spear gun. This is interesting as Spear Guns I thought used to be illegal, but after a quick google i find a Government article on the Laws of owning a Spear Gun in Cayman Which is shocking as there is no need for Spear Guns in Cayman apart from for sport, and to be honest we don’t have that many big fish left .. so leave them alone. But whats worse is .. It is probably an “American Crocodile” or if it is a “Cuban Crocodile” they ar eboth endangered and so Spearing them must be illegal … especially when unsanctioned. However this is Cayman and it was a Caymanian who did it. Therefor the local that did i will be commended on protecting innocent people here in Cayman that were in danger from the reptile who just so happened to be the furthest point away from the most inhabited area of the island. Good going. UPDATE: I just found out this evening, unofficially of course, that during the so called capture of this Endangered animal via a spear gun a few other things happened or should be known.

1. The Department of the Environment didn’t exactly have nothing to do with the capture of the animal, I believe the official words they used were, we were not involved. However They apparently backed away from the process when the Royal Cayman Islands Police took to the air in the Cayman Helicopter and started shooting at the Crocodile with a handgun !! (ok so now that is two people who have attacked an endangered species)
2. The Gentleman who used his Speargun to injure the crocodile (again an endangered species) apparently did not have the appropriate license to either own, possess or use a spear gun here in Cayman as per the rules I found before.
3. As of yet no charges have been put against the man, no plans have beenmade for the best welfare of this wild animal, who if not naturally resident here (in which case should be allowed to roam as she did) has swum a very long way to get here and just like a cuban has been arrested .. but rather than getting deported may get put in a cage and on display for the rest of her life.