- 19 hours ago
- #natural
- #dragon
- #wilddiscovery
- #costarica
Documentary, Wild Discovery -: Killer Crocodiles of Costa Rica
The documentary "Wild Discovery - Killer Crocodiles of Costa Rica" (2003) is about the American crocodiles found in the rivers and tropical forests of Costa Rica. A significant portion of the film, and related content, focuses on the remarkable, true story of a local fisherman, Gilberto "Chito" Shedden, and his unique 20-year friendship with a rescued crocodile named Pocho.
Key Details of the Documentary & Related Story:
Synopsis: The documentary explores the world of these apex predators in their natural habitat, focusing on their lives and behaviors. A central element is the extraordinary bond between Chito and Pocho. Chito found a young, severely injured crocodile on the banks of the Reventazón River, shot in the head by a farmer, and nursed it back to health over several months.
The Unlikely Bond: After Pocho recovered, Chito released him into the wild, but the crocodile refused to leave, following the fisherman home. Pocho chose to stay with Chito and became part of his family. For over two decades, they swam and played together, a unique and surprising relationship that challenged conventional understanding of crocodile behavior.
Public Attention: Their story gained worldwide fame, leading them to perform a weekly show for tourists in a local artificial lake. This unusual friendship demonstrated an unexpected connection and trust that could form between a human and a wild animal.
Scientific Interest: The relationship sparked interest from scientists, like South African wildlife cinematographer Roger Horrocks, who speculated that the brain injury might have altered the crocodile's instinctive behavior.
Legacy: Pocho died of #natural causes in 2011 and was given a public funeral. Their story remains a testament to compassion and coexistence between humans and wildlife. Their friendship is also detailed in another documentary titled Touching the #Dragon.
KillerCrocodilesofostaRica #WildDiscovery #KillerCrocodiles: #CostaRica #Crocodiles:
The documentary "Wild Discovery - Killer Crocodiles of Costa Rica" (2003) is about the American crocodiles found in the rivers and tropical forests of Costa Rica. A significant portion of the film, and related content, focuses on the remarkable, true story of a local fisherman, Gilberto "Chito" Shedden, and his unique 20-year friendship with a rescued crocodile named Pocho.
Key Details of the Documentary & Related Story:
Synopsis: The documentary explores the world of these apex predators in their natural habitat, focusing on their lives and behaviors. A central element is the extraordinary bond between Chito and Pocho. Chito found a young, severely injured crocodile on the banks of the Reventazón River, shot in the head by a farmer, and nursed it back to health over several months.
The Unlikely Bond: After Pocho recovered, Chito released him into the wild, but the crocodile refused to leave, following the fisherman home. Pocho chose to stay with Chito and became part of his family. For over two decades, they swam and played together, a unique and surprising relationship that challenged conventional understanding of crocodile behavior.
Public Attention: Their story gained worldwide fame, leading them to perform a weekly show for tourists in a local artificial lake. This unusual friendship demonstrated an unexpected connection and trust that could form between a human and a wild animal.
Scientific Interest: The relationship sparked interest from scientists, like South African wildlife cinematographer Roger Horrocks, who speculated that the brain injury might have altered the crocodile's instinctive behavior.
Legacy: Pocho died of #natural causes in 2011 and was given a public funeral. Their story remains a testament to compassion and coexistence between humans and wildlife. Their friendship is also detailed in another documentary titled Touching the #Dragon.
KillerCrocodilesofostaRica #WildDiscovery #KillerCrocodiles: #CostaRica #Crocodiles:
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AnimalsTranscript
00:00Some of the largest crocodiles in the world hunt the rivers and estuaries of Costa Rica,
00:28but because of attacks on humans, now they are the hunted on Wild Discovery.
00:45Costa Rica's many rivers are the home of crocodilians.
00:51It is the lower reaches of a river and the estuary that is the preferred habitat of the American crocodile.
00:57Crocodiles in Costa Rica are some of the largest in the world.
01:11Their formidable size and power make them an intimidating presence.
01:18Reaching 18 feet in length and up to 500 pounds, the crocodile is the most fearsome predator in Costa Rica.
01:28The crocodile is not just a killer. It plays a crucial role in the region's ecology.
01:35And the crocodile is not always the predator. Sometimes it's the prey.
01:43Because of their killer reputation, crocodiles in Costa Rica have been hunted and killed by people.
01:51Their numbers greatly reduced from historic times.
01:56Concerned by a decreasing population, the government of Costa Rica declared crocodiles protected.
02:04But it's not just people the endangered crocodile must be wary of.
02:10A female crocodile approaches a mangrove shore, where she laid her eggs almost three months before.
02:23Tentative, she observes the shoreline, making sure she is in the exact place where her nest is.
02:32She listens for her hatchlings' calls from within their nest.
02:42But the mother crocodile is not the only one to hear the calls.
02:47The kawati is the consummate opportunist and scavenger, eating anything edible, even baby crocodiles.
03:08For these hatchlings, a tragic entry to the world.
03:12The first few hours are the most vulnerable for hatchling crocodiles.
03:17Their vocalizations, designed to alert their mother, may alert predators.
03:24Only one in ten may survive to become adults.
03:30Should they live, these hatchlings may grow to become the largest predators in Costa Rica.
03:36The tiny crocs are twelve inches long when hatched.
03:47Even at this age, their sharp teeth are used to advantage.
03:55All the nestling crocodiles will hatch within a few hours of one another.
03:59The kawati has had enough needle-like bites to its sensitive nose.
04:10Making their way to water, the hatchlings are in a run for their lives.
04:16Where there is one kawati, there may come more.
04:21There may come more.
04:30If the hatchlings reach their mother, they will be safe, at least for a while.
04:35The kawati's concern is the approach of the crocodile.
04:56The size of the crocodile is cause for the kawati to make a hasty retreat.
05:00The remaining young scurry for the water.
05:10Those injured or killed in the fracas are fodder for stinging ants.
05:17Fire ants are a scourge not only of crocodile nests,
05:21but practically every young animal in Costa Rica.
05:23Like a miniature wolf pack, they will consume the carcass over time.
05:37Hatchling crocodiles face a host of potential predators, even in the water.
05:41The sooner they reach their mother, the better.
05:50She has a temperament for protection.
05:56Naturally born to aquatic life, the tiny crocodiles are only slightly awkward.
06:04Water is their true element.
06:12Keeping close to mother crocodile keeps her young safe,
06:16not only from other predators, but other crocodiles, too.
06:32Though their mother is at the top of the food chain,
06:35hatchling crocodiles are near the bottom.
06:36The best place for a young crocodile to be is her mother's nose.
06:54When her young stray, there is not much she can do about it.
07:00The crocodile hatchlings are not only watched by their mother.
07:03A blue crab can be dangerous to a hatchling crocodile.
07:14In turn, adult crocodiles will eat blue crabs.
07:21But these hatchling crocodiles are just too big for the blue crab to injure,
07:27and are more of a nuisance than a potential meal.
07:29For now, the remaining hatchlings stay in the safe region of their mother.
07:42This hatchling will grow to become a killer, a predator.
07:49It's his job.
07:50But for this crocodile's sake, it hopefully won't become a danger to people.
08:03Crocodiles can be dangerous in Costa Rica,
08:06but not all individual crocodiles are killers.
08:08At a lagoon-side restaurant, people feed a 12-foot crocodile named Juancho.
08:18Juancho has frequented this restaurant for 10 years, feeding on gourmet fish.
08:24Checking on Juancho and his activities is biologist Juan Sanchez, Costa Rica's crocodile expert.
08:38Sanchez is a biologist with Costa Rica's Ministry of the Environment and Energy.
08:42Juan Sanchez estimates Juancho is 26 years old.
08:49Crocodiles may live to be 70 years old.
08:54Juancho is in his prime.
08:57Juan Sanchez describes Juancho as a mild-mannered crocodile.
09:02A crocodile that would not attack a human being.
09:13But a crocodile fed by people is the primary reason people are attacked.
09:24Once used to being fed, a crocodile assumes any person will feed it.
09:32If a person does not have food to give, the crocodile tries to get food,
09:37often resulting in an attack.
09:42People then think all crocodiles are dangerous.
09:46Because of this, hundreds of large crocodiles have been killed by a fearful public.
09:53Juancho has been able, so far, to survive his interactions with people.
09:58But there could be a disaster should Juancho approach people at another river.
10:14The many rivers of Costa Rica are the home for crocodilians and a host of creatures.
10:19Rivers are a nurturing home for wading birds, specialists in hunting the shallows.
10:30The splayed beak of the roseate spoonbill is adapted for sifting invertebrates and fish from the water.
10:39White ibis have finely pointed beaks to pick snails and other tiny creatures.
10:48Young crocodiles are prey for some wading birds.
10:54Pelicans, like other seabirds, usually prefer fish.
10:59Though a crocodile will pique their curiosity.
11:14Young crocodiles are shy and retiring creatures.
11:17When disturbed, a crocodile will retreat to the inner sanctum of the mangrove.
11:36For a growing young crocodile, its perfect home is the mangrove swamp,
11:41a flooded forest.
11:47The mangrove tree grows a network of roots,
11:53providing the tree a stable platform to grow in soft, muddy soil.
12:03Mangrove trees grow where few trees can, in brackish water.
12:10A labyrinth, the mangrove forest and their prop roots,
12:13make up an incredibly important habitat,
12:17in a place of the tides.
12:43With the flood, denizens of the mangrove come to life.
12:57For a young crocodile, the mangrove is an essential place,
13:01not only for shelter, but for food.
13:03The magic of the mangrove, it's a nursery and habitat for a complex web of life.
13:19The web of mangrove roots provide an extensive surface for bacteria and algae to grow.
13:24A food for shrimp and for fish.
13:26A food for shrimp and for fish.
13:38Shrimp are innumerable in mangrove roots.
13:41They are everywhere, feasting on mangrove algal riches.
13:45Shrimp are also scavengers of the dead.
13:54This chain of life is just the beginning.
13:59Where there are herbivores, there are fish predators.
14:05The sleeper perches on its pectoral fins, watching for other fish.
14:09When prey is near, the sleeper strikes.
14:22Larger predators dine here too.
14:29The yearling crocodile is at the top of the mangrove food web.
14:34Most creatures of the mangrove are its potential prey.
14:42When fishing in deep water proves difficult,
14:45the crocodile heads to shallow water,
14:48where catching a fish should be easier.
14:49It's first grab is a leaf, of no value to the crocodile.
15:06There are fish here in plenty.
15:09Success in the hunt takes time and technique.
15:16The crocodile typically uses its body to block off or herd fish to the shallows,
15:28where it's easier to catch.
15:29Where there's one, there are many.
15:31where there's one, there are more.
15:33Where there's one, there are more.
15:57Where there's one, there are more.
15:59Seeing movement and motion is the key.
16:04Using a firm grip, the crocodile must maneuver to swallow the fish head first.
16:21Attracted to Costa Rica's crocodiles are tourists.
16:38On the Tarcales River, several tours a day are given to see the largest crocodiles in the region.
16:46Jose Martinez has been driving a tour boat for three years.
16:55He has been attacked only once by a crocodile in his tour.
17:00Jose has developed his own routine to show off giant crocodiles.
17:06He uses chicken to entice the animals close.
17:20At the sound of chicken slapping the water, a crocodile approaches.
17:24Crocodiles usually avoid people, but a chicken dinner overrides the crocodile's wariness.
17:34Often slow moving, a cautious crocodile moves quickly when it wants to.
17:52Scars on Jose's legs are from a crocodile that missed the chicken and bit him instead.
18:10To display the immense size of the American crocodile, Jose draws the animal onto the beach.
18:20This is a dangerous game. A crocodile can easily mistake a chicken for a foot or a leg.
18:45Several giant crocodiles are regularly attracted to Jose's offering.
18:57Jose has names for them.
18:59Chicholina.
19:01Mike Tyson.
19:03George Bush.
19:04Jose is confident and knows each crocodile well.
19:19Jose feeds the crocodiles almost daily.
19:22The crocodiles usually prefer the chicken to him.
19:30Crocodile biologists say that ecotourism for crocodiles is good.
19:36It gives people a chance to see them in the wild.
19:41When a big predator brings in tourist dollars,
19:45its potentially dangerous presence near people is appreciated.
19:51But crocodile biologists are critical of these feedings.
19:57Feeding crocodiles habituates them to people as a food source.
20:03This could lead to another crocodile attack.
20:10The flooded mangrove forest provides an avenue for insects
20:14to aquatic predators like the crocodile.
20:19For a young crocodile, insects are an important food.
20:24An insect's exoskeleton contributes chitin,
20:28a building block for a young crocodile's bone growth,
20:33not to mention a meal for an empty stomach.
20:54The mangrove's abundance allows the crocodile
20:57to develop a stealthy hunting technique.
21:09With practice comes perfection.
21:13another chance to strike.
21:28The young crocodile must continue to be successful at the hunt
21:31if it is to become Costa Rica's largest predator.
21:43For a crocodile to survive into adulthood,
21:47it must not only succeed in the natural world,
21:50it must survive the world of people.
21:58Outside the forest, at the river mouth,
22:01further up river, amidst farms and cattle ranches,
22:04is where many large adult crocodiles live.
22:08Crocodile biologist Juan Sanchez observes crocodiles below the highway bridge,
22:19over the Tarcolis River.
22:24Tarcolis River crocodiles once numbered 600 animals.
22:28Now they number 300.
22:30The rest, killed by poachers.
22:33Monthly, Juan Sanchez checks these crocodiles for problems.
22:44Living close to the road,
22:46these crocodiles are fed by tourists,
22:48hanging food by strings and ropes.
22:55Some crocodiles become entangled with wire and nylon string,
22:58making it impossible to feed.
23:03Sanchez uses a unique technique to capture entangled crocodiles,
23:10with a bait of chicken.
23:20Having been fed many times,
23:22a hanging chicken is like a dinner bell.
23:33the crocodile Sanchez is after,
23:34has metal wire tangled in its mouth.
23:35The crocodile Sanchez is after,
23:36has metal wire tangled in its mouth.
23:40To ensure he catches the right one, Sanchez teases the crocodiles.
23:54When the entangled crocodile is lured close, Sanchez drops the bait.
24:06Additional strong ropes are attached to pull in the mighty crocodile.
24:23The crocodile must be played out before it can be worked with.
24:38Placing a cloth over its eyes keeps the animal calm.
24:42The crocodile exhausted, Sanchez works quickly to remove by hand the wire embedded in its snout.
24:57Once released back to the river, the crocodile will rest from its ordeal with people.
25:15For Sanchez, crocodiles entangled with wire or fishing line,
25:19from people feeding them is an ongoing, serious problem.
25:26Another problem.
25:27Coins, thrown from the bridge at crocodiles, cause injuries,
25:32especially to their eyes.
25:41Despite conflicts with people,
25:42the crocodiles of the Tarcolis River live as crocodiles have for millions of years.
25:59As the morning sun warms the air, crocodiles may prefer to haul out on land.
26:07Crocodiles rest in the sun not only to warm up,
26:10but to kill fungus and bacteria that grows on their skin.
26:18Gaping its jaws allows a crocodile to lose excess heat from the mouth surface area.
26:27The rule for basking crocodiles is conserving energy and rest.
26:33Even at rest, a crocodile keeps its eye open for an easy meal.
26:40The rainy season in Costa Rica may last eight months.
26:46For Costa Rica's wildlife, it is the season of renewal.
26:52Water is greatly abundant.
26:58Plants thrive and flower.
26:59With such abundant rains, many plants have adapted to shed water.
27:11The crocodile must grin and bear it.
27:16Heavy rains can quickly swell Costa Rica's rivers into muddy torrents.
27:22The rainy season has flooded the crocodile's river home.
27:27The swollen river disperses young crocodiles to the lower river, near the ocean,
27:33even occasionally out to sea itself.
27:36At the river's mouth, this crocodile rests.
27:49Nearby, a reptilian cousin is beginning its life.
27:54Baby sea turtles are emerging from their nests.
28:09They have incubated within the sand for 50 days.
28:13Once hatched, they must make a dash for the ocean.
28:16Unlike crocodiles, baby sea turtles have no motherly protection to look forward to.
28:32A short stretch of beach may seem like miles to the tiny turtles.
28:37Many are waiting for this hatch of Olive Ridley's sea turtles.
28:52Black vultures, wood storks, and ghost crabs anticipate a feast.
29:01Just two inches long, the turtle's only defense is its protective shell.
29:05But at this stage, the shell is somewhat soft.
29:12For black vultures, the turtles are bite-sized treats.
29:18The hatch is a lucky feast.
29:23Most sea turtle nests hatch at night, when fewer predators are about.
29:36Wood storks are relatively rare.
29:39Baby sea turtles are an important seasonal meal that helps sustain their survival.
29:44More turtles keep coming, each wave getting closer and closer to the safety of the sea.
29:56Not all have eaten their fill yet.
30:06Ghost crabs see any movement on the beach.
30:11Ghost crabs are equal in weight to hatchling turtles.
30:14If the scale favors the turtle, it escapes.
30:17Ghost crabs are equal in weight to hatchling turtles.
30:21If the scale favors the turtle, it escapes.
30:31Having survived predators, the turtle must face the sea.
30:36If it survives to breeding age, a female Olive Ridley's turtle is destined to lay eggs on the same beach it was hatched.
30:55Like the crocodile, the turtle's cycle of life has occurred in Costa Rica for millennia.
31:10Inland from the beach, near the river mouth, the cycle of life for crocodiles is bringing them together.
31:16It's the mating season, when the crocodile shows its tender, loving side.
31:27Mating for the crocodile is a mixture of subtle and not-so-subtle maneuvers.
31:33Blowing bubbles is a show of a male's prowess.
31:49Males blow bubbles and snap their jaws.
31:56Violent displays of power.
31:59To the strong goes the ovulating female.
32:04Female crocodiles are territorial, displaying teeth at one another.
32:09And chase off intruders from preferred sites.
32:22Even dominant females are intimidated by the largest male.
32:28The crocodile's dance of love is a poetic affair.
32:31The crocodile's dance of love is a poetic affair.
32:41Females often initiate mating.
32:44Her toothsome display is to attract the largest male.
32:48Drawn by a male's size and power, the female is cautious in her approach.
33:02The male lets all others know he is dominant.
33:15He then responds to the female in a crocodilian display of love.
33:19Mating may take place over hours.
33:20After mating, the female will soon lay eggs in her yearly act of motherhood.
33:23Mating may take place over hours.
33:24After mating, the female will soon lay eggs in her yearly act of motherhood.
33:37Other mothers in the crocodile's river home are now raising their young.
33:41Convict cichlids are now raising their young.
33:43Convict cichlids are especially attentive parents.
33:44Convict cichlids are especially attentive parents.
33:45The female will soon lay eggs in her yearly act of motherhood.
33:46After mating, the female will soon lay eggs in her yearly act of motherhood.
33:56Other mothers in the crocodile's river home are now raising their young.
34:06Convict cichlids are especially attentive parents.
34:09The female watches constantly over her brood for a month after they hatch.
34:20The mother cichlid's mouth is specialized to move leaves and turn over rocks.
34:27Exposing minute invertebrates and algae for her young to feast upon.
34:34She also uses her pectoral fins to stir things up.
34:39She oversees over 100 tiny young.
34:50The tiny fish follow every move made by their doting mother.
35:02Besides tending her babies, mother cichlid keeps watch for predators.
35:06A wolf cichlid, or guapote, is also on the watch.
35:15But not for tiny convict cichlids.
35:20Juvenile convict cichlids, two months old, about the size of a dime, are what the guapote seeks.
35:26And they are after prey as well.
35:31Insects, like this mosquito larvae, are quickly snapped up.
35:36Almost anything that grows or moves in the river is eaten by convict cichlids.
35:42The guapote is an ambush hunter.
35:46It awaits the right moment.
35:49When the juveniles are transfixed in their own pursuit.
35:51Seeing the jig is up, retreat for cover is the rule.
35:53When the juveniles are transfixed in their own pursuit.
35:55Seeing the jig is up, retreat for cover is the rule.
36:05Loathe to leave its lair, the guapote hesitates.
36:08But this is its last chance.
36:13The guapote hesitates.
36:15Seeing the jig is up, retreat for cover is the rule.
36:20Loathe to leave its lair, the guapote hesitates.
36:25But this is its last chance.
36:26For surviving juveniles, it's a lesson learned.
36:44Hide.
36:48The guapote, an adult cichlid, knows too much exposure could mean sudden death.
36:53For in the rivers of Costa Rica, the crocodile is at the top of the food chain.
37:17With fewer crocodiles in Costa Rica than ever before,
37:19the government of Costa Rica is implementing a plan to restore some crocodile populations.
37:29In a small facility, crocodiles are hatched and raised to a size when most predators could not eat them.
37:36Juan Sanchez must capture them for a release to the nearby Tarcales River.
37:41To avoid the crocodile's sharp teeth, the animal's mouth is taped shut.
37:52Before the crocodile can be released, its health must be checked.
37:57Sanchez does not want any possibility of introducing a disease to the wild population.
38:09For identification, each crocodile's tail scutes are marked and counted.
38:13Soon to be released into the wild, this crocodile will be an ambassador for its species.
38:26It will also be a much-needed addition to Costa Rica's crocodile population.
38:33Costa Rica has 2,000 American crocodiles living on both of its coasts.
38:47Only two of Costa Rica's many rivers are home to most of these crocodiles.
38:57In the nesting season, crocodiles use the same ancestral beeches to lay their eggs.
39:04Over time, human development has damaged or destroyed some of these sites.
39:10Remaining nest beaches are critical for the survival of Costa Rica's crocodiles.
39:23A female crocodile has hauled herself out onto the beach.
39:28It is the nesting season.
39:31The crocodile chooses a site close to the water, yet high enough not to get flooded.
39:40In the sand, she has dug a nest, where she deposits between 40 and 50 eggs.
39:54Placing her eggs at the right depth allows the sun to incubate them.
39:58Hiding all trace of her work, she carefully covers sand over her nest.
40:12The crocodile spends little time at the nest site.
40:16She doesn't want to attract egg-stealing predators like the coati.
40:20If her nest successfully hatches, her young will hopefully grow to become killer predators.
40:31Fulfilling their niche in the wild.
40:37But because of their killer reputation, adult crocodiles are killed by people.
40:42greatly reducing the number of breeding age crocodiles.
40:50Crocodiles are in trouble in Costa Rica.
40:53Their future is in doubt.
40:57To aid declining crocodile populations, the government of Costa Rica is applying an innovative program.
41:03On the Tarquiles River, Juan Sanchez has gathered a group of local school children.
41:12These niños will help in the release of the crocodile.
41:20This is an important project for Sanchez, connecting children to their wild heritage.
41:26For many, this is their first glimpse of a crocodile.
41:46By involving children in the release, it is hoped the crocodile will become a familiar presence.
41:51Even at two years old, a crocodile may rather fight than flee.
42:05They can't live.
42:07They can't live.
42:08They can't live.
42:10They can't live.
42:13They can't live.
42:14They can't live.
42:16Juan Sanchez fears that someday, these large predators may not survive.
42:22But these children are a new generation, concerned about Costa Rica's wildlife.
42:30wildlife.
42:33With the help of Costa Rica's children, the crocodile's future may be ensured.
42:43As they grow into adults, these young crocodiles may disperse, looking for other rivers and
42:49lagoons to live in.
42:53For now, the crocodiles must watch out for dangers of the natural kind.
43:23.
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43:33.
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