Costa Rica News – Ticos and visitors have taught crocodiles that there is a connection between human presence and food.
Both residents of coastal areas and tourists frequently disobey indications posted and throw food to the animals.
This has changed the relationship between humans and crocodiles and altered the natural behavior of the animals which normally are elusive and avoid contact with people.
Now in some areas such, as Tárcoles, crocodiles approach curiously to see if the person will feed him. This change in diet led some populations of crocodiles to lose their hunting instincts.
Before 1990, when crocodile sighting tours began in Tárcoles, people still bathed in that river and the few crocodiles moved away from them. Since the tours started and led to people feeding them there are many more crocodiles staying in the area. They are not hunting, just waiting for people to feed them. This has led to poor physical condition.
