The Devastating Impact of Feral Cats on Cuban Crocodile Conservation Efforts

In the fall of 2022, a significant setback for Cuban crocodile conservation was discovered when researchers uncovered evidence of feral cats breaking into a farm and killing young Cuban crocodiles. This incident resulted in the death of 145 juveniles, which is a critically endangered species.

Unlike other American alligators, Cuban crocodiles have unique features such as a bony ridge behind their eyes and the ability to jump high out of the water. With an estimated population of only 3,000 left in the wild, efforts to increase their numbers are crucial. The Zapata Swamp Crocodile Breeding Farm releases 500 animals into the swamp each year to help increase their population. However, these efforts were met with resistance from predators that killed the young crocodiles.

Biologists Etiam Pérez-Fleitas and Gustavo Sosa-Rodriguez identified feral cats as the culprits responsible for the attacks on the young Cuban crocodiles at the breeding farm. Feral cats are considered one of the world’s worst invasive species due to their predatory nature and harm caused to native ecosystems. As a result, measures such as sterilizing male cats are being considered to protect vulnerable species like Cuban crocodiles from further attacks by feral cats.

The incident underscores the importance of conservation efforts and highlights the dangers posed by roaming feral cats to vulnerable species like Cuban crocodiles. It also serves as a reminder that ongoing conservation efforts are necessary to protect endangered species from extinction due to invasive species like feral cats.