Overview Exploration and Survey Protected Areas Great Cats Program Research Methods Crocodile Conservation Program Chinese Alligator Siamese Crocodile Philippine Crocodile Orinoco Crocodile Crocodile Bushmeat Management Crocodilian Exploration Indian Gharial & Malayan Gharial Cuban Crocodile Management of Crocodiles

Orinoco Crocodile Reaching lengths of up to 20 feet, the Orinoco  crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is the largest predator on the South American continent. In 2004, Andres Eloy Seijas who has long been supported by WCS, led a group of colleagues to release 250 captive-bred Orinoco crocodiles into three Venezuelan rivers. This was the latest saga in a long-term program that WCS developed in Venezuela; since 1990 over 3,000 animals have been released to repopulate protected areas. In an important step to develop and implement a national management plan for these critically endangered animals, Dr. Seijas took the initiative to establish the Venezuelan Crocodile Specialist Group, which is made up of the leading authorities on Orinoco crocodiles and is committed to working together to devise a plan for the species’ long-term survival.