American Alligator Distribution, Size, and Hole Occupancy and American Crocodile Juvenile Growth & Survival

The four objectives of this project are:

1. Design and develop a monitoring program for relative distribution, size (condition), nesting and hole occupancy rates of the American alligator in response to Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects as specified in the Monitoring and Assessment Plan (MAP). The monitoring program and procedures developed will provide the baseline for future comparisons and an effective means for evaluating restoration success for the American alligator in the Greater Everglades ecosystem.

2. Monitor changes in alligator populations due to restoration over short (body condition), medium (distribution, hole occupancy) and long (nesting) temporal and spatial scales.

3. Design and develop a monitoring program for growth and survival of crocodiles in areas that will be affected by CERP projects.

4. Conduct surveys for crocodiles as expressed in the MAP. Monitoring surveys will be separated into subtasks based on geographic area. In all areas, crocodile surveys and monitoring will include nesting effort and success and will focus on growth and survival of juvenile crocodiles.