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[h=4]Crocodile gets comfortable in Fla. neighborhood[/h]Hello, there! An<span style="color: Red;">*</span>American crocodile has made an unusual appearance in the waters surrounding Cape Coral, Fla., in recent days.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>
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Residents in Cape Coral, Florida spotted a rare American crocodile that has been hanging out near a condominium building. VPC
A rare American crocodile has emerged from the waters surrounding Cape Coral, Fla. in recent days.(Photo: Andrew Wests)
Hello, there! An<span style="color: Red;">*</span>American crocodile has made an unusual appearance in the waters surrounding Cape Coral, Fla., in recent days.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>
While it's not unheard of to spot an crocodile in<span style="color: Red;">*</span>southwest Florida, they are typically spotted more regularly in southeast Florida, according to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Frank Mazzotti, a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>professor<span style="color: Red;">*</span>off wildlife ecology at the University of Florida.
"In general, everywhere in Florida,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>there are more crocs<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in more places than when it was<span style="color: Red;">*</span>declared an endangered species in 1975," Mazzotti told USA TODAY Network. "So,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>when a croc shows up in a neighborhood where they aren't usually spotted, it's an<span style="color: Red;">*</span>exciting occurrence."
Florida is the only place in the world where crocodiles and alligators exist in the same ecosystem.
Males in the wild typically grow to 14 feet, according to the National Park Service. These are not to be confused with Nile and saltwater crocodiles found in Africa and Australia. Those species are more dangerous and aggressive.
While<span style="color: Red;">*</span>dangerous, American crocodiles are known for their shy, reclusive nature, according to Mazzotti. But that doesn't mean they are harmless.
Males in the wild typically grow to 14 feet, according to the National Park Service.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Andrew Wests)
"If<span style="color: Red;">*</span>you have a<span style="color: Red;">*</span>large crocodile and say a small cat, that<span style="color: Red;">*</span>won’t mix," he said. "People<span style="color: Red;">*</span>need to be cautious in areas where alligator and crocs are,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>but realistically<span style="color: Red;">*</span>when you live next to water, you are<span style="color: Red;">*</span>way more likely to drown than be attacked by crocodile."
Florida’s nesting crocodiles are found mostly near the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station in Miami, where warm-water discharges provide ideal nesting conditions.
Contributing: Mary Bowerman
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