Service project number two was actually worse than marinating in my sweat all day at SAGA. We volunteered with ACES, the crocodile people, and the owner had us help tear down a cage. I was so excited to get out there and see where they kept the big guys! After talking with Vance, I ended up more frustrated than excited. There is such a lack of awareness in the community and they people do not have any respect for the crocodiles. We were forewarned that the cages would have trash all around because people just toss it over the cement fence.
We took a little boat ride out to the cages and sure enough there was trash everywhere. The one croc that was housed there, Jaws, had sticks in his cage where people had been poking him to get him to move around. The three houses around the cage all looked rundown, but there is no excuse for tossing dirty diapers into an area that is clearly marked as a crocodiles sanctuary. We began cleaning up the area and started a burn pile for all the trash. Then we got to the dirty work of tearing down one of the cages. It had three sections to it and they wanted the sections removed in case they caught this 10 ft croc they have been looking for. The bottom of the cage is mangrove roots so the entire area smelled like sulfur. Add to that the smell of rotting chicken in Jaws cage, and I about lost my lunch on more than one occasion. I could not bring myself to get into the water but I did use some sweet yoga moves to stretch across the boards and help cut wires!
We took a little boat ride out to the cages and sure enough there was trash everywhere. The one croc that was housed there, Jaws, had sticks in his cage where people had been poking him to get him to move around. The three houses around the cage all looked rundown, but there is no excuse for tossing dirty diapers into an area that is clearly marked as a crocodiles sanctuary. We began cleaning up the area and started a burn pile for all the trash. Then we got to the dirty work of tearing down one of the cages. It had three sections to it and they wanted the sections removed in case they caught this 10 ft croc they have been looking for. The bottom of the cage is mangrove roots so the entire area smelled like sulfur. Add to that the smell of rotting chicken in Jaws cage, and I about lost my lunch on more than one occasion. I could not bring myself to get into the water but I did use some sweet yoga moves to stretch across the boards and help cut wires!
While we were working a bunch of people gathered to watch from balconies. At one point a lady pushed open the big door and approach us asking to take a picture. She had no situational awareness and I was shocked that she had the nerve to enter somebodies property without asking. Not to mention Jaw's cage was open! Vince was clearly upset about this blatant disregard for his property and also the crocodiles. He went on to tell us the story about the previous sanctuary. He was initially based out of Punta Gorda, Belize, and his sanctuary was very large. One day two local boys went missing and the family went to a shaman. The shaman told the family that the white people were responsibly and the boys were fed to the crocodiles- I'm seriously not making this up! The family and towns people gathered together, went to the property, looted it of all valuables, burned the home and sanctuary, and then they took a machete to each crocodile. Every single rescued crocodile was killed, including the babies!
Vince told us that the land we were working on would only be active for the next two months. He is shutting down everything on the island because the people are so horrible towards ACES. You would think they would be grateful to have people wiling to take crocodiles off their hands, but instead they are disrespected and abused. It really makes me think about the lack of education these people have when it comes to such amazing creatures. Not to mention the fact that people broke in and stole the wood roof of the croc cages?? I mean those are there for a reason, but there is clearly a lack of respect within the community and it's frustrating.
Vince told us that the land we were working on would only be active for the next two months. He is shutting down everything on the island because the people are so horrible towards ACES. You would think they would be grateful to have people wiling to take crocodiles off their hands, but instead they are disrespected and abused. It really makes me think about the lack of education these people have when it comes to such amazing creatures. Not to mention the fact that people broke in and stole the wood roof of the croc cages?? I mean those are there for a reason, but there is clearly a lack of respect within the community and it's frustrating.