POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – Pompano Beach officials warned people to stay out of the water Monday afternoon after a crocodile was spotted swimming under the Fisher Family Pier, according to News 6 partner WPLG.
City lifeguards posted double red flags and closed the beach to swimming after the sighting.
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Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers also responded to the beach, but it’s unclear if the crocodile was moved to a different area.
“American crocodiles live in coastal areas throughout the Caribbean and occur at the northern end of their range in south Florida and the Keys,” the FWC posted on its website. “They occur in brackish or saltwater areas and can be found in ponds, coves, and creeks in mangrove swamps.”
The FWC describes American crocodiles as “shy and reclusive.”
The native species is now classified as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
There are as many as 2,000 adult crocodiles in the U.S. today.
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