Dive Traveller
had dreamed about before the trip. By slowing down their hearts to
just a few beats a minute, crocodiles can hold their breath for more than an hour underwater, but during encounters like this one their senses remains on high alert so they need to surface much more frequently. I was glad about that because a quick look revealed I’d completely missed the over/under image on my first attempt. A gentle tap on my shoulder from the safety diver reminded me that I had just broken rules one and three at the same time. Embarrassed at how quickly I had become complacent around such a large and unpredictable predator, my eyes snapped back to the croc that was slowly creeping sideways in an effort to flank me. Retreating to the hut, we
exchanged a few laughs and feeling relieved, then patiently reviewed
images from the dive until it was time to jump back in. Because they’re cold blooded,
crocodiles are not exactly early risers. So the next morning after our lionfish dive we had time to pay a visit to the ranger station on Cayo Central, which also houses a small group of Mexican biologists who conduct research on fish populations and study the crocodiles that live in the surrounding mangrove. From a viewing platform next to
the lab I was able to get a better look at the lagoon. All was quiet in the early summer sun but by late fall the surrounding mangrove would come alive with the low bellows of male American crocodiles romancing their prospective mates. Once impregnated, females
choose nesting sites early in the new year and deposit between 30
Left: A prominent feature of the Ginger Screw wreck. Right: Nurse sharks accompanied us on our hunt
for the invasive lionfish
and 70 eggs that they cover with a combination of sand, mud and dead vegetation. Temperature during the incubation period determines the sex of the hatchlings. So, if it is a particularly warm or cold year, all crocodiles born that year will be one sex or the other. The mother crocodile fiercely
guards her clutch against all comers but many unborn crocodiles still fall prey to rodents and other scavengers. The surviving young begin to hatch 75 to 80 days later and call out to their mother in soft high-pitched croaks. After uncovering her eggs, she gently scoops her offspring up in her mouth
that was slowly creeping sideways in an effort to flank me
My eyes snapped back to the croc
30
Magazine
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62