American crocodiles, always rare in Florida, were further
impacted by human population growth and development of the
coastal areas where they live. In 1975, the American crocodile
was federally listed as endangered. At that time, annual nesting
had fallen to 10 to 20 nests, and it was estimated that there
were less than 300 crocodiles in Florida. American crocodiles
are a species in recovery. Today, nesting has increased to more
than 100 annually, and it is estimated that there are between
1,500 and 2,000 crocodiles in the state, not including
hatchlings. The crocodile is still state listed as endangered,
but its federal listed has been recently downgraded to
threatened, due to the progress of the crocodile's With
increasing numbers of crocodiles in areas where people also
live, Florida is experiencing a growing number of complaints
about nuisance crocodiles. US Fish & Wildlife Service - Species
Profile