Conservation report
Matthew Shirley shines a spotlight on the first new African crocodile species for almost 85 years.
A new species: the Central African slender-snouted crocodile
How did you find the new crocodile?
We were studying slender-snouted crocodiles found across West and Central Africa when we made the startling discovery that, in fact, we were dealing with not one, but two separate species. We’ve called the new species the ‘Central African slender-snouted crocodile’ to distinguish it from the West African slender-snouted crocodile, which was already known to science.
How do the two species differ?
While both species can grow up to, or even exceed, 4m, the Central African slender-snouted crocodile is more lithe and athletic in appearance than the robust and solid West African slendersnouted crocodile. We found significant differences in their genetic variation that makes them very easy to identify.
Why do we have two species?
By studying both animals’ DNA, we worked out that their genes diverged more than eight million years ago. It was around this time that volcanic mountains arose in what is now Cameroon, and we think that this created an impassable, physical barrier, which in effect split the range of the crocodiles and ended gene flow.
How many Central African slendersnouted crocodiles are left?
Probably tens of thousands. Their stronghold is in Gabon, but they have declined significantly across much of Central Africa. Still, of more concern is the status of the West African slendersnouted crocodile, which is now Critically Endangered with an estimated population of just 500.
What plans are there to save them?
Working closely with government partners in Côte d’Ivoire, we hope to implement a captive-breeding programme to reintroduce more of these animals back into the wild. Next year, we plan to bring relevant conservation partners from four key countries together to establish an action plan. Simon Birch