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Negative interactions between people and crocodilians have increased worldwide, but in Mexico there have been few systematic reports and no rigorous evaluation of this problem. We compiled information on negative interactions between people and the spectacled caiman Caiman crocodilus and American crocodile Crocodylus acutus from the Worldwide Crocodilian Attack Database for 1993–2018, and we investigated interactions in greater depth, through interviews with people in La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve. We examined the relationship between the occurrence of negative interactions between people and C. acutus and the species' nesting season and abundance, and presence records. In Mexico, the frequency of negative interactions increases when anthropogenic activities occur close to nesting sites (< 30 km) and during the nesting season (February–September). In La Encrucijada, following negative interactions with crocodiles, the local inhabitants killed 30 crocodiles measuring > 2.5 m long in 2011–2012. The frequency of negative human–crocodilian interactions was not correlated with the abundance of crocodilians but was correlated with the number of presence records of crocodiles. Strategies to minimize these interactions include warnings at nesting sites, increased monitoring of anthropogenic activities during the nesting season, and management of nests to prevent them being destroyed by people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the factors, patterns of activities and seasonality per region that shape the response to the human–crocodile (HC) conflict in Mexico by humans is essential for prevention and mitigation of negative interactions. We compiled the publicly available data on incidents of crocodile attacks on the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Pacific coast from January 2000 to the first days of January 2018. Of the recorded unprovoked crocodile attacks (n = 149) on humans in Mexico, 102 cases correspond to the Mexican Pacific coast and 47 to the Gulf of Mexico. The age of victims involved in the majority of the attacks ranged from 19 to 40 years old. Three municipalities of high risk (hotspots areas) were Puerto Vallarta, Lázaro Cárdenas and Pinotepa Nacional in the Mexican Pacific coast, whereas, in the Gulf of Mexico, only Bénito Juárez was of high risk. To mitigate this conflict, it is necessary that local authorities in the municipalities (mainly in those of high risk) establish public-safety programs with the goal of raising awareness of the risk of crocodile attacks on the basis of information status and distribution of the crocodile population, linked to the extent of HC conflicts, as a first step for better management and risk mitigation. We compiled incidents of crocodile attacks on the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Pacific coast. In total, 102 cases corresponded to the Mexican Pacific coast and 47 to the Gulf of Mexico. The municipalities of high risk (hotspot areas) were Puerto Vallarta, Lázaro Cárdenas and Pinotepa Nacional in the Mexican Pacific coast, and, in the Gulf of Mexico, only Bénito Juárez was of high risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Were conducted structured and directed interviews with the aim of known the appreciation on he American crocodile by inhabitants surrounding Parque Nacional Lagunas de Chacahua (PNLCh). From January to June 2012, were applied 54 interviews in three rural communities settled around study area. The 25.9% of people surveyed thought that only one crocodile species exist, another 25.9% answered unknown on the existence of crocodile types, and 16.7% answered that there are three species in Mexico. Regarding the perception about their dangerousness, to 56% was harmless, 39% said they are dangerous, 4% unknown the degree of danger and 2% consider that depends on the situation. Eighty-five interviewers known the chance of breeding crocodiles in captivity and the rest unknown it. Finally, 93% of interviewers don´t recognized myths or legends about the crocodiles, however, 81% believe in the existence of "tonales" (spiritual linkages) and a high percentage of them (53.7%) thought that the crocodiles are the main animals of linkage (Trad. ECM) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]