Dead crocodile seen afloat in Salt River

Terrestrial biologist Damion Whyte on Thursday was on one of his many outdoor expeditions when the dead crocodile, approximately eight feet long, was seen afloat in the river in the vicinity of the old Monymusk dock in Clarendon.

Salt River separates the parishes of Clarendon and St Catherine.

The carcass was on its back heading downstream and entangled in a fishing net, prompting Whyte to repeat calls for greater protection of animals in the wild. 

It seems like this croc got tangled in an old fish net & drowned. We have to do better as a people to protect our environment. Please don't throw old fish line & fish net in the sea. Just take it out. Our #Crocodiles are listed as endangered in #Jamaica #Roostersworld #biologist pic.twitter.com/BlJ05P5d0k

— Roosters_World (@Roosters_World) April 8, 2022

“So that’s an old fish net… and instead of taking it out of the water, they left it in there,” Whyte explained to Old Harbour News after posting images on his social media page. “And what happens as you can see here, animals like crocodiles move around and get hitch and drown.”

Other wildlife creatures such as pelicans, sea turtles, sea gulls and fishes, suffer similar fate like the crocs due to human’s negligence.

Despite the enactment of laws to protect crocodiles, the species remains under serious threat by human activities. Their habitats are being destroyed by construction, the burning of wood to make charcoal, poor garbage disposal habits, and now the most infamous human consumption.

In this specific case there was no sign that the creature was attack by humans, Whyte noted.

In wildlife jargon this crocodile was trapped by a ‘ghost net’ – a fishing net abandoned, lost or discarded in the waters. Ghost nets are almost invisible in dim light and are among the main reasons why wildlife animals are easily entrapped.

It is a big problem for marine animals, said Whyte who is urging fisherfolks to desist from throwing nets into the waters.

“So what we are asking the fishermen to do is when the net mash up, don’t just throw it in the sea, take it out,” said Whyte a PhD student at the University of the West Indies.

“You know Old Harbour Bay is a fishing area and a man will ask why we need to protect the crocodile,” Whyte continued. “The crocodile is a top predator in the ecosystem. One of the jobs of a top predator like the crocodile is to eat the sick fish, so the other healthy fish don’t eat it and get sick. Just like how a child in a classroom catch the flu and can pass it on to other children in the classroom. So the crocodile play a role in controlling and that’s what a top predator does.”

He added: “People need to remember that they play their part in the ecosystem and we do not want to see them die like that.”

Whyte believes the crocodile possibly died on Tuesday given its state of decomposition.

The net was eventually removed from the body of the animal by men living in the area. The men ventured into the water and cut away the debris before allowing the carcass to remain in the water “for nature to take its course,” Whyte said because it was in its natural environment.

This was done to ensure other creatures that will feed upon the dead flesh would not get trap and suffer the same fate.