Encouraging Human-

Crocodile Coexistence
RAINIER I. MANALO, M.Sc.
Program Director
Crocodylus Porosus Philippines Inc.

IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group

Regional Vice Chair for East &
Southeast Asia

CROCODYLUS POROSUS PHILIPPINES INC.

310 million
years ago… reptiles
were the first
vertebrates to make
the complete
transition to life on
land

• an increase in competition • limited competition for

for food and space among the insects and plants that
all the life-forms in aquatic could be used as food on
environments the land
 1950-1951
2,000 ind. (Palawan)
in few months for skin trade
3-4 ind. per day

1988-1992
140 Ind. CFI acquisition
(Palawan)
115 Ind. CFI acquisition
(Mindanao)
 1988- 1992
PALAWAN
Quezon 38
Bataraza 27
Narra 25
Rizal 8
Puerto Princesa 4
Roxas 3
Aborlan 2
Taytay 1
Balabac 27
Dumaran 5
TOTAL 140
Eight years after the creation of CFI…
• they acquired a total of 173
Crocodylus porosus in their
natural habitat
• 155 of which were obtained
from the Island of Palawan.
•The active acquisition
ceases in early 1992 to avoid
further depletion of this
species in the wild.
In 1989…

Saltwater crocodile from Surigao

del Norte was publicized.
believed to have attacked 11
victims.
Measuring 4.57 meters and
weighing 341 kilograms
Human populations causing encroachment
to crocodile habitat increased exposing
local population to crocodile conflicts.
 The largest live-caught in the
Philippines and maybe in the world
20-feet saltwater crocodile
in Agusan Marsh Wildlife
Sanctuary, Bunawan,
Agusan Del Sur , Philippines
 Ref. LOCATION Distance Corrected
No (km) Density
(Ind/km
1 Maasin River,
Quezon 6.87 0.12
2 Quinlogan,
Quezon 1.45 0.08
3 Panalingaan
River, Rizal 6.47 0.12

1
2
3
 Ref. LOCATION Distance Corrected
No (km) Density
(Ind/km)

4 Canipaan
River, Rizal 8.49 0.55

5 Rio Tuba
River, 6.25 0.16
Bataraza

4 6 Sumbiling
River, 8.23 0.34
5 Bataraza

6 Mainland
Rivers 37.76 0.23

51
Individuals
 Ref. LOCATION Distance Corrected
No (km) Density
(Ind/km)
1 Bugsuk River,
Balabac 5.17 10.92
2 Tukanigalo,

294 Balabac 2.91 1.26

3 Dalit River,
Balabac 4.91 0.76
Individuals 4 Agutayan
River. Balabac 2.64 0.67
5 Rabor River,
1 Balabac 1.06 0.41
6 Pasig River,
2 Balabac 3.27 0.29

3 7 Monsod River,
4.77 0.74
Balabac
4 Small Island
Rivers 19.56 2.15
5
6
7
 Population Density
(Palawan)
• Relative density: 0.47 croc/km.
• Corrected density: 1.30 croc/km.

• Estimated population: 345 ind.

Indo Pacific Crocodile

Projected / Inferred
~ 500
Stable
 Divilacan

Maconacon
2018
INDO PACIFIC CROCODILE
NORTHEAST LUZON

Bataraza
PALAWAN Aurora
Quezon - Rizal
Siargao
Bugsuk

Balabac Hinatuan-
Bislig

Zamboanga Peninsula
Ligawasan

Tawi-tawi
Jolo-Sulu
 Overall Density
• relative density: 0.47 croc/km.
• corrected density: 1.30 croc/km.
• Estimated population: 349 individuals

0.38/km
1.30/km
1.60/km
0.33/km
1.02/km
0.46/km

5.00/km
2.00/km
0.86/km

20.00/km
Population Estimate

2018

2017

2016

320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400

Human-Crocodile Conflict
“any interaction which results in
negative effects on human
social, economic or cultural life,
on conservation of the species
or on the environment”
Crocodile Attack Incidents
2000-2019 (Philippines)

12 Fatal

23 Non-Fatal

Source: CrocBITE; CPPI Database 2019

 WORLD CROCODILE ATTACK
Jan 2008 - October 2013

Source: CrocBITE WORLDWIDE CROCODILIAN ATTACK DATABASE, 2015

 SEA & OCEANIA CROCODILE ATTACK
Jan 2000 – December 2015

Australia

Brunei

Indonesia

Malaysia

Palau Non-Fatal
Fatal
Papua New Guinea

Philippines

Solomon Islands

Timor-Leste
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450

Source: CrocBITE WORLDWIDE CROCODILIAN ATTACK DATABASE, 2015

 EFFECTS OF REMOVING WILD CROCODILE

“It could stimulate an increase in the

wild population.

It is the crocodiles that are controlling

the size of the wild population, and if
the larger ones are selectively
removed, the population could be
expected to expand ”.
G. Webb, IUCN CSG Chairman
However, the Government continue to
receiving a limited number of saltwater
crocodiles that pose threat livelihood.
 CROCODILES were
incapable of catching &
eating all the PEOPLE.

The PEOPLE with the

technology of the day, were
incapable of catching &
eating all the
CROCODILES.
 Manobo have
1622 already shared a place to
live with the crocodiles
 Beliefs Perceptions
Respect to the nature’s spirits are the guardians of
spirit resources
natural calamity that shall devastate
Do not cut hard wood
their homeland.
Born with a crocodile connections with crocodiles upon
twin spirit birth.
person who committed an immoral
Part of nature act will be transformed into a
crocodile
crocodiles are able to
Crocodiles allow them selves to be
recognize a person’s
seen by the person
pure intention
Crocodiles are indicators of
a healthy fish population
Crocodile habitat are perceived by Manobo
as fish sanctuaries; an assurance of healthy
fish stocks to sustain their
fishing practices.
“We need to recognize them and respect their presence
in the marshland. That is very important. They have to be
understood and given their own space. Their territory is
their territory. What is necessary is that we lessen our
encounters with them. They are just there, living with us.
– Tribal Leader Rey Calderon, 2010.
Maintain the presence of crocodiles in their
natural habitat through habitat protection
Protection Efforts
Mutual coexistence: MINDANAO

INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE
Maguindanaon Muslims (People of
the flood plains)
Agusanon Manobo
(River People)

Cultural
Expressions Relatives
HUMAN -
“Pagali”
CROCODILE
COEXISTENCE

CROCODILES
WETLAND Philippine Crocodile
Marshes, rivers, (Crocodylus
Healthy fish
and lakes with mindorensis)
population
crocodiles Indo-pacific Crocodile
(Crocodylus porosus)
 People and the Environment
PERCEPTIONS TOWARD CROCODILIANS IN THE MARSH
Local Migrant Indigenous People
Human Intervention  
Compete with humans for Abundance of aquatic resources
fish in areas inhabit with crocodiles
Introduce hunting Witness the decline of
crocodile population
Killing and or removing over Respect for all form of Life
conservation
Local Leaders  
Perceived as threat to human Do not tolerate the removal of
life and livelihood crocodile in natural habitat

Effect  
Depresses the reproductive Increase in the number of viable
rate and slows its recovery population
 April 2015

February 2014

138.5 cm. TL &

9,900g. BW
Average growth increment 0.084 cm/day
from March 2013 – April 11.76 g./day
2015 Mean growth rate within
24 months of release.
Marshland Adventure Day Tour (3-5PM)
Php. 300.00/boat trip
Boat capacity: 3 guests and 1 boatman
Crocodile Night Watching (7-11 PM)
Php. 400.00/boat trip

Boat Capacity – 2 guests, 1 boatman and 1 spotter/tour guide.

Crocodile Night Watching
Community development
 It is PEOPLE who
usually create
conservation problems,
but it is also PEOPLE
who usually solve them

GJW Webb
We are looking forward for a positive
respond and thank you very much for
supporting our cause.