Jamaica’s crocodile guardian
“I’ve always loved the creatures other people don’t like!” chuckles Lawrence Henriques.
He has one particular love that is not generally popular with humans: Crocodiles. Specifically, we are talking about the only crocodile species on the island of Jamaica, the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). Mr Henriques, 67, runs the Holland Crocodile Sanctuary in St. Thomas, at the eastern end of the island.
He started a sanctuary on the north coast in 2010, but realising that the crocodiles were not a good fit for the tourism-oriented area, he moved to the Holland property and opened the sanctuary there in March 2019.
“We are right on the ruins of the old Holland Estate,” said Henriques. The sprawling sugar estate was owned by Simon Taylor (1739-1813), a Jamaican-born Creole and one of the wealthiest planters on the island at the time. The sanctuary is tucked away in the wetlands of the Plantain Garden River, which flows into the beautiful Holland Bay.
Now that the sugar industry is in decline, residents have turned to burning coal, illegal fishing, and other undesirable activities, all of which have harmed the wetlands – the crocodiles’ habitat. Coastal development for tourism and housing – a growing concern across the Caribbean – is also threatening mangroves and other ecosystems. Henriques is acutely aware that his mission is not simply to protect crocodiles but their watery homes. As their own space is reduced, crocodiles make their way along drains and waterways – and end up in human spaces. There are regular reports of rural Jamaicans waking up to find a crocodile on their doorstep.
However, if there is an alarm, the hard-working field officers at the National Environment and Planning Agency and the Hope Zoo in Kingston spring into action, they advise residents to leave the crocodiles alone until they arrive and relocate them safely.
While they can be “unpredictable, sometimes,” says Henriques, Jamaica’s crocodiles are generally not aggressive – although females will be very protective of their nests when they have young. The breeding season is from March to August.
So, what will you find at the Holland Crocodile Sanctuary? It is home to 26 large males; Henriques describes them as a kind of “insurance” for the future. They all have names and distinct personalities. The largest are twelve and a half to thirteen feet long; it’s “extremely rare” to see one longer than fourteen feet. There are also 18 young ones and five nests. The crocodiles live completely in their natural, wild habitat, and the area is surrounded by a chain link fence. They are fed once a week with rejected chickens donated by a Jamaican company. The crocodiles snap them up.
When the young ones reach three years old, they are health-checked, microchipped, and set free into the wild. The “headstart” phase of breeding was Phase One of the project, explains Henriques; between 2022 and 2024, 79 young crocs were released from the sanctuary.
Phase Two aims to improve the infrastructure for actual monitoring and enforcement of environmental laws. Crocodiles have been protected under Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act since 1971. By law, no crocodile should be hunted or disturbed, and no one should be in possession of any part of the creature. Henriques would like to see trained wardens who would not only enforce local regulations but also lead public education efforts in the community. The greater the understanding of this magnificent creature, the more people will recognise their value and seek to protect them.
Jamaica’s crocodiles just want to be left alone. However, poaching for the animal’s meat remains a huge headache for Henriques. Although laws are in place, human and financial resources are inadequate to catch the culprits. Henriques is determined to implement this critical component of his plan for the sanctuary.
“This animal is very special to Jamaica,” stresses Henriques, pointing out that it is on the island’s Coat of Arms.” Growing up in Jamaica (he is a Kingston native), he developed a fascination for them. He recalls that they were much more common when he was a child, and regularly seen in Kingston Harbour.
“As a child, I used to keep little crocs in my bedroom!” laughs Henriques. One wonders what his parents thought of that…
While Jamaica is well known for its rich biodiversity, “We don’t have large animals in Jamaica,” adds Henriques. This fact alone also makes the crocodile special.
“We are the only true wildlife sanctuary on the island,” asserts Henriques proudly. He does not want his animals to become a tourist attraction, which ultimately harms the animals. As for his role as crocodile guardian, he welcomes enthusiastic support from partners outside the sanctuary. He feels “there is nobody else to do it.”
He has stepped up to the plate, a crocodile champion.
