- May 13, 2026
-
-
Loading
Loading
Florida is frequently identified with alligators.
But Alan Gillespie, the head of entertainment at Sarasota Jungle Gardens, thinks their relative, the American crocodile, might be overlooked.
He hopes a pair of two American crocodiles, Dominic and Kananga, will help to change that.
He also hopes their potential offspring will do the same further down the road.
Breeding crocodiles in captivity can be difficult due to the specific conditions they require and because they can be territorial in nature.
While the courtship was a gradual process, the two crocs were gradually introduced to one another's presence, and in January, staff observed them interacting and mating.
"It's sort of like these crocs are friends with benefits, but it's also really good for them for companionship," he said.
The American crocodile is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is a federally designated threatened species.
According to written comments from Consulting Director Flavio Morissey, most threats to the species stem from hybridization, habitat destruction and sea level rise.
Morissey also wrote that breeding of American crocodiles is not occurring at many facilities.
American crocodiles are distinguished from alligators by their narrower, triangular snout, lighter color, and the visibility of the fourth tooth on both lower sides of the jaw when their mouth is closed.
They are found not only in South Florida, but also in parts of the Caribbean and in areas of Central and South America.
A pairing had been on the radar of Sarasota Jungle Gardens since staff acquired the female Kananga in 2021. The 46-year-old male, Dominic, has been at the facility since 1995 and had been paired once in the past, before that female died, according to Morissey.
The 45-year-old Kananga was later brought in from Jamaica, from a farm linked to the James Bond film "Live and Let Die," in which the farm's founder Ross Kananga served as a stuntperson.
Gillespie says the average lifespan for American crocodiles in captivity is over 70 years.
Staff knew the relationship of the two crocodiles wouldn't be love at first sight.
It began with Kananga in a far enclosure, with the pair merely allowed to sense and smell one another and understand that another crocodile was present.
Last year, they were moved to an area with a newly built pool, where they were situated directly beside one another. Around the end of last summer, a shade cloth was removed allowing them to finally see each other.
The biggest milestone came in December, when a fence was removed, allowing the crocs to mingle for the first time.
“That was pretty cool, because we didn't really know what was going to happen," Gillespie said.
He said it took "maybe a couple of weeks" before Kananga made her way over to Dominic's area.
In January, they were finally observed engaging in courtship and mating behaviors. Gillespie said the courtship has been taking place during cooler weather.
“They're very, very intelligent, and it's sort of the same thing when you're courting a human being," Gillespie said. "It's a dance, in a way, of seeing if you guys like each other. 'Let's go for drinks. OK, I do like you now, let's go for dinner,' and seeing how they constantly keep on getting along.”
He says his team observes differing personalities between the crocodiles, although he has not seen any impacts to their relationship.
He says Dominic has a relaxed personality, while Kananga is more territorial. The crocs have swapped places, with Kananga taking Dominic's former pool area and "hogging the spotlight."
However, Dominic tends to initiate their interactions.
Although staff thought at one point that a nest had been found, he said nesting has not taken place this season.
Morissey wrote that when the gardens has offspring from the pair, they will help educate the public about American crocodiles and their role in the environment throughout their range.
“When you actually see them on the move or even just with their head exposed, it shows how small we are in the world," Gillespie said. "Where something like this, it’s been around millions and millions of years, and still an apex predator, and that's why it's great that facilities can have guests come in, learn a little about them and see them up close and personal."
