As soon as the staff released their hold, the Orinoco crocodile swiftly vanished into the river. This species, native to Venezuela, is one of the largest crocodiles in the world, growing over 20 feet long and weighing over 880 pounds. However, due to the financial value of their meat and leather, poaching is rampant, leaving fewer than 100 individuals in the wild.

A group of biologists has initiated a conservation project, setting up a long-term presence in their habitat to collect crocodile eggs. They are working with a zoo to incubate these eggs in a controlled environment and care for the hatchlings until they reach about one year of age before releasing them back into the wild, with approximately 200 crocodiles returned to their habitat each year. Zoo director Pantin stated, “We initially collaborated with research institutions to assist with releases, and later began breeding them in the zoo.”

However, achieving successful breeding requires a race against time, as once returned to their habitat, the crocodiles may still fall prey to poachers. Biologist Hernandez noted, “The issue remains: individuals hunt them for food and also consume their eggs, so even if we breed more crocodiles, the pressure from hunting persists.”

Venezuela’s unique circumstances, including political pressures causing many experts to flee, and poverty driving rural residents to hunt wildlife, complicate conservation efforts. Nevertheless, for many involved in this work, the opportunity to observe these lives grow and eventually return to nature is a remarkable experience. Some express that even if the impact of these actions may be limited, they are committed to doing all they can to protect these creatures.