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Protecting crocodiles and people in the Philippines with the Mabuwaya Foundation

The Philippine Crocodile is an endemic freshwater crocodile. Crocodiles are a keystone species of every ecosystem they inhabit, including Dinang Creek. They act as prey when young and then as predators when adult, maintaining low levels of disease and driving habitat health. This important role is in danger of disappearing as the Philippine Crocodile is listed as critically endangered and has less than 100 mature individuals surviving in the wild.

A pre-existing natural buffer zone around the creek is virtually gone, resulting in soil erosion and decreased prey availability for the crocodiles. To address the high number of human-wildlife conflicts, protect livestock from predation and increase nesting success for the crocodiles, a buffer zone of at least 5 meters on both sides of the creek will be reforested. The buffer will consist of fruit trees to compensate people for the land they will no longer cultivate and livestock pens will be constructed to protect livestock until the buffer zone is restored. This project is expected to protect people, domestic animals, the crocodiles and restore habitat health and function. 

Mabuwaya Foundation aims to protect and conserve the Philippine Crocodile in its natural habitats. The conservation of the critically endangered Philippine Crocodile is conducted in close collaboration with the communities living near to the crocodile habitat. The Mabuwaya Foundation conduct regular quarterly monitoring of the five core habitats, and manages a rearing station to rear and release crocodiles into their natural habitat.
