Historic and Present Distribution of the American Crocodile in Florida

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Abstract
The historic and recent distribution of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Florida is from Vero Beach and Tampa south to the lower Florida Keys. Its nesting distribution is southern Biscayne Bay and northeastern Florida Bay. Both distributions reflect winter temperature. Nesting sites and nonnesting habitat have been lost to development on Miami Beach and the upper Florida Keys, but this loss has been compensated by the creation of artificial nesting sites on spoil banks along southern Biscayne Bay and a westward addition to the nesting range in Florida Bay. Except for the shift in nesting away from developed areas, the general distribution of the American crocodile in Florida is the same as that historically documentable.