Forest Department Warns Public to Keep Distance From Crocodiles

The Belize Forest Department is urging people in Caye Caulker and other areas where crocodiles are present to keep their distance and never feed, touch, approach or provoke them. The warning comes after a recent incident in Caye Caulker Village was captured and shared on social media, showing people in close proximity to a crocodile. While no one was injured and there was no physical contact with the animal, the Forest Department says the incident is concerning, especially because Caye Caulker has seen a number of human-crocodile encounters. Wildlife Manager at the Forest Department, Victoria Chi, speaks on the concern.

Chi says the Forest Department had warning signs in some of these areas, but some have been damaged or removed by members of the community. The department is now looking to put up new signs in areas where crocodiles are known to be present. The Forest Department says it will also step up public education and community engagement, including meetings with residents and stakeholders in Caye Caulker, as it works to reduce risky encounters between people and crocodiles.  In 2023, a Caye Caulker man known as Jim “Finnegan” Ramirez was attacked after jumping into an area where the crocodiles were present. In April of this year, an American woman was hospitalized after being bitten by a crocodile during an early-morning swim near the island.