Park for the Preservation of the Jacare-acu
1/11/00
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Title: Park for the Preservation of the Jacar,-aĜu
Source: O Liberal
Status: Copyright 2000, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: January 11, 2000
The jacar,-aĜu, the largest species of Amazonian alligator, has long
been hunted for its meat and hide, and is currently an endangered
species.
According to Joao Batista da Silva of IBAMA (the Brazilian Institute
for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), poachers favour
the jacar,-aĜu over other species of alligator, such as the
jacaretinga, for its greater size (thus providing more meat and
hide).
Providing a safe haven for raising and caring for Amazonian
alligators, and the jacar,-aĜu in particular, is the purpose of the
biological park ""Crocodilo Saf ri" (Crocodile Safari), situated in
Bel,m and owned by Jorge Arthur Aarao Monteiro.
The 3000 square meter park is home to more than 100 jacaretingas and,
perhaps more importantly, two recent clutches of jacar,-aĜu,
totalling more than 50 of the baby animals.
The park is the only one of its kind in the country; no other
organization has successfully raised jacar,-aĜu offspring. And it is
not just a tourist attraction - there is considerable scientific
research being conducted on the young alligators, with particular
attention paid to the animals' behaviour and developmental processes.
The research is conducted by FCAP (the Faculty of Agrarian Sciences
of Par ), as well as the Goeldi Museum.
The park is also the location used by IBAMA for releasing animals
liberated from poachers.