Crocs Colonize Jet Skis: Florida's New Basking Spots

In South Florida's developed coastal areas, American crocodiles are increasingly using human-made structures like jet skis, paddleboards, and floating docks for basking. This adaptation stems from the loss of natural sandy shorelines to seawalls, confining the crocodiles to the same brackish waterways favored by humans.

These reptiles, distinguished by their pointed snouts and grayish coloring, were federally listed as endangered in 1975 but were later downgraded to threatened in 2007. Their population has grown significantly from a few hundred in 1975 to an estimated 2,000 today, primarily inhabiting areas like Everglades National Park and Biscayne Bay.

While crocodiles possess salt glands allowing them to tolerate brackish water, unlike alligators, their limited access to natural basking sites in developed areas forces them to rely on floating human possessions. This coexistence, while essential for the crocodiles' survival in modified landscapes, necessitates public caution. Incidents involving humans are infrequent; only two attacks have been recorded by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, with the most recent in 2024 resulting in a minor leg laceration.