Rare American crocodile swims off with someone’s dog in its jaws, Florida cops say

American crocodiles are rare and reclusive, which makes it all the more unusual that one took off with someone’s dog in its jaws near Tortoise Island in Central Florida.

It happened July 31 in Brevard County along the Space Coast, and Florida wildlife officials haven’t found the crocodile as of Aug. 2.

“The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) received a report of a deceased dog­ in the mouth of a crocodile near a private residence,” state officials told McClatchy News.

“FWC responded to the scene, spoke with the owner of the dog, and searched the area for the crocodile and the missing dog, but neither were found. The FWC is continuing to monitor the situation.”

Video posted Aug. 1 on Facebook shows a large crocodile has been seen swimming in the Grand Canal and “traveling along seawalls” in the area.

Brevard County is the northernmost range of the American crocodile, an endangered species with fewer than 2,000 adults known to live in Florida.

The incident, which happened just outside Satellite Beach, is the third crocodile sighting reported in Brevard County over the past eight months. In December, an 8-foot crocodile was found in Melbourne Beach and in May, a 9-foot crocodile was captured while hiding in a Satellite Beach drainpipe.

“Crocodile sightings have increased in recent years as the result of their population recovery along with the growing number of people spending time on or near the waters of South Florida,” FWC says.

The species is largely found in remote areas at the southern tip of Florida, particularly in the Everglades.

Crocodiles can be differentiated from more abundant alligators by their color and snouts: Gators are largely black with a rounded snout, and crocodiles are grayish-green with a narrow, triangular snout, experts say.

Conflicts with humans are “extremely rare,” due to the shy nature of the species, officials say. But the FWC recommends the following steps to reduce the chances of an encounter:

• “Keep a safe distance if you see a crocodile. If someone is concerned about a crocodile, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a crocodile response agent to resolve the situation.
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble crocodiles’ natural prey.
• Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Crocodiles are most active between dusk and dawn.
• Never feed a crocodile — it is illegal and dangerous. When fed, crocodiles can lose their natural wariness of people and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food.”

This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 10:37 AM with the headline "Rare American crocodile swims off with someone’s dog in its jaws, Florida cops say."