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What Do We Do

The IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group (CSG) is a worldwide network of biologists, wildlife managers, government officials, independent researchers, non-government (NGO) representatives, farmers, traders, tanners, fashion leaders, and private companies actively involved in the conservation of the world's 23 living species of alligators, crocodiles, caimans and gharials in the wild.

Coming Events

Please click on read more below to find a full list of up-coming events by Crocodile Specialist Group. From time to time we will also add other interesting events happening around the world.

Latest News and Information

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and Crocodilian Conservation

The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015, as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. The CSG and its members play a significant role in contributing to the achievement of many of the UN's 17 SDGs. This document summarises how crocodilian conservation efforts support the SDGs (download here).

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Proceedings of West and Central Africa Regional Meeting, Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire,
8-10 December 2015

The Proceedings of the WCA Regional Meeting, held in Cote d'Ivoire, in December 2015, are available on the CSG website (in Publications section), or can be downloaded here.

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Proceedings of Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Meeting, Belize,
26-29 June 2019

The Proceedings (Abstracts) of the LAC Regional Meeting, held in Belize in June 2019, are available on the CSG website (in Publications section), or can be downloaded here.

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Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology

“Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology” (2023), edited by Holly Woodward and James Farlow, features 19 contributions on a range of topics on crocodylian evolution and biology, including osteology, osteohistology, developmental biology, myology, odontology, functional morphology, allometry, body size estimation, taphonomy, parasitology, ecology, thermophysiology, and ichnology.

“Ruling Reptiles” is available as an ebook (https://iupress.org/9780253066473/ruling-reptiles/), and is recommended reading for zoologists, biologists, paleontologists and enthusiasts alike.



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Proceedings of the 26th CSG Working Meeting now available!

The Proceedings of the 26th CSG Working Meeting, held in Chetumal, Mexico (July 2022), are now available. Download.

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27th Working Meeting of the Crocodile Specialist Group

The 27th CSG Working Meeting will be held in Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, on 16-19 April 2024, with Drone and Veterinary workshops to be held on 14 April, and meeting of the CSG Steering Committee on 15 April.

The meeting website has been launched, and details are now available on venue, registration, accommodation, program, etc. Visit the website at: csg2024.com.

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New Publication - "Die Hornbackhaut - The Hornback Skin"

This new publication, “Die Hornbackhaut - The Hornback Skin” (2023), by Karlheinz Fuchs, in both German and English, focuses on the hornback skin - the dorsal surface, from behind the head to the tail tip, including the post-occipitals and the nuchal rosette, which are often featured on products, but which are particularly hard to identify. This latest publication builds on previous works such as “Die Krokodilhaut” (1974), later published as “The Crocodile Skin” (2006) in English, with assistance from the CSG.

The treatment of most species uses diagrams in which the general arrangement of post-occipitals and the nuchal rosette is well described, and is accompanied by a distribution map, which gives border control personnel an extra tier of information with which to validate or question a particular export or import. This is another important contribution to our ability to ensure trade in crocodilian skins and products is legal and verifiable. “Die Hornbackhaut - The Hornback Skin” is strongly recommended for people involved in these issues.

The book can be purchased (28€ + postage) directly from Karlheinz Fuchs (E-mail: ingridfuchsdauborn@t-online.de).

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Traceability in Crocodylian Conservation and Management

As reported in a recent CSG Newsletter [40(3)], the CSG Executive Committee endorsed, and has now released, "Traceability in Crocodylian Conservation and Management". The report addresses  traceability, an issue that has been debated at recent CITES forums. The CSG Executive Committee thus agreed to review traceability, as it applies to crocodylians at this point in time, and to provide CSG members and others interested in the issue, with a snapshot of key points. Dr. Dan Natusch prepared an overview of traceability in reptiles in general, which comprises Chapter 3 of the report.

Download "Traceability in Crocodylian Conservation and Management"


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"History of Crocodile Management in the Northern Territory of Australia:
A Conservation Success Story"

The history of crocodile management in the Northern Territory of Australia (NT) has been pulled together by Professor Grahame Webb into an easy-to-read booklet, which will be available very soon. The NT provides an interesting case study of how sustainable use has been successfully used to conserve a large predator, in this case the Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus). But the road to this success has not always been smooth, and Professor Webb discusses the past and current threats to this management program. A summary has been extracted from this booklet, and can be downloaded here.

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Resources developed by the CSG Veterinary Science Group. Including recent "Humane Euthanasia/Killing Methods for Crocodilians - An Update" (2020).

Fritz Huchzermeyer Veterinary Science Student Research Assistance Scheme

CrocFest Reports

Latest IACTS (International Alligator and Crocodile Trade Study) report, 2019-2021 (John Caldwell; UNEP-WCMC). Download

5th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2018. Download
Charotar Crocodile Count - May 2018. Download
6th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2019. Download
7th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2020. Download
8th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2021. Download
9th Charotar Crocodile Count - Jan 2022. Download

Drone Working Group webpage, including links to Youtube videos of virtual workshops.