American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus) are skilled, adaptable predators thriving in coastal mangroves and rivers like Costa Rica’s Tárcoles River. Their diet mainly consists of fish such as mullet, mammals that wander too close to the water’s edge, and birds—including brown pelicans like this one. These crocodiles adjust their prey preferences seasonally, feeding on fish during the rainy months and scavenging carrion during dry spells, making them efficient hunters without chasing every creature with a pulse.

In Costa Rica’s ecosystems, birds like herons and waterfowl account for about 10-15% of their diet, while fish make up 50-60%, and mammals such as raccoons represent 20-25%.

The range of the American crocodile extends far beyond Costa Rica. They inhabit Florida’s Everglades and Keys, where roughly 2,000 individuals live, as well as Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula in coastal wetlands. Throughout Central America, they occupy estuaries and rivers in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama. Further south, they can be found in coastal lagoons of Colombia, Venezuela, and northern Peru. Caribbean islands like Cuba and Jamaica also support their populations.

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