The loose cocodrilo of La Manzanilla captured

Mel Tucker visits the crocs
Originally uploaded by Brite light photos.

PUERTO VALLARTA, Jalisco, Mexico - Maya Tucker, daughter of Mel Tucker (shown in the photo at the right and displaying his odd sense of humor) shipped along the photos she took last week of the fellows capturing the cocodrilo that had escaped the lagoon and was swimming with the tourists.

I missed seeing the capture - we had gone down the beach to Valentina's for a great lunch - but I did watch several people out wading up to their knees to get a look at this critter swimming in the water only a few feet past all those bare legs.


Lunch wades in the surf

The surf swimming cocodrilo was small compared to most of the ones I've seen in the reserve, just a few blocks from the center of the town. Perhaps it was a juvenile, just experimenting with leaving home.

I received lots of different stories from local people about how common surfing cocodrilos are. Some people seemed aghast and said it never happened, others said the crocs come out from time to time and return to the reserve. Several people told me they have seen croc tracks on the beach at low tide near Martin's restaurant.

Time to time? Croc tracks?

Madre mia!


Wrestling with the croc


All tied up for the trip home