Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered A2cd, vers. 3.1.
Year published: 2016
Date Assessed: 24th May 2012
Population Trend: Decreasing.
Endemic to the Philippines. Found only on just 3 islands: Dalupiri, with probably just a single pair of crocodiles; Luzon, with small populations in the Cordillera Mountains and Sierra Madre mountains in San Mariano, Isabella Province; Mindanao from the Ligawasan Marsh.
Rivers, creeks, ponds and marshes up to around 800m above sea level. It has been seen moving between rivers along the coast of Luzon.
Younger crocs will eat invertebrates such as dragonflies, shrimps, snails, as well as small fish and amphibians. As they grow, the prey base increases to include large fish, pigs (including domestic animals), dogs, civet cats, snakes and water birds.
Suggestions are that the species was widely spread across the Philippine archipelago historically. However, it is now found on just 3 islands, with a small and fragmented population. The threats to the species include habitat use by local people, persecution of crocodiles in the Philippines, and entanglement in fishing nets.
The estimated numbers of mature animals in the wild are between 92 and 137 only. The population overall is considered to be declining, despite some small local increases due to specific conservation projects based on rear and release strategies.
