High speed boat traffic: A risk to crocodilian populations

Grant, Paul BC; Lewis, Todd R

Abstract

Injuries related to boat traffic have been documented as a major source of human-related injuries and deaths in many aquatic species but have not been documented in crocodilians. We examined the proportion of boat-related injuries in Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus fuscus) in the Tortuguero region of Costa Rica within waterways with enforced speed limits and those without. No boat injuries were documented in waterways with speed limits; however, in waterways without speed limits, 36.6% of caimans we captured retained old scars or fresh lacerations related to boat propellers, including two mortalities. Presence of enforced speed zones was positively associated with lower rates of collisions, boat propeller related injuries, and mortalities. Slower boat speed may provide sufficient time for caimans to avoid oncoming boats. Increasing boat traffic in the region due to increasing ecotourism and a rapidly expanding local community may increase the vulnerability of this crocodilian species to boat related injuries and population eduction. Imposing enforced speed limits within non-essential transportation routes is a reasonable mitigation measure to help protect this species.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 9, 2010
• Publication Date: 2011
• Deposit Date: Sep 11, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 12, 2022
• Journal: Herpetological conservation and biology
• Print ISSN: 1931-7603
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 5
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 456-460
• Keywords: Crocodilian, Caiman crocodilus, boat traffic, conservation, tropical, Costa Rica
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/9968301
• Publisher URL: http://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_5/Issue_3/Grant_Lewis_2010.pdf
• Related Public URLs: http://www.herpconbio.org/about.html