Hommam Al Nassim 
16 “sacred crocodiles” from the Swiss Aquatis basin in Lausanne arrived at the “Croco Park” in the Moroccan city of Agadir, as part of the first “species conservation” project of its kind in Africa.
These small crocodiles, whose origins go back to West Africa, were placed in stable individual compartments, and their length ranges between 40 cm to one meter, and they are considered among the rare crocodiles in the world, according to the Swiss News Agency.
The project focuses on returning these crocodiles to their natural habitat, where researchers hope, they will adapt to the African climate in Agadir, after they were extinct from the continent for sixty years.
It is expected that the length of these young crocodiles, after they have fully grown, will reach between 1.30 and 1.40 meters, while the researchers’ interest is focused on ensuring that they can withstand the heat that the Agadir region experiences.
The park’s official website explained that the young crocodiles, no more than three years old, were born on a crocodile breeding farm in Djerba, Tunisia, an area with a climate very similar to Agadir.
These crocodiles have been raised outdoors since their birth, making them candidates for adapting quickly to their new environment. The young age of these crocodiles makes it easier for animal keepers to deal with them and provide the appropriate conditions for their acclimatization.
Through this project, researchers seek to gradually return crocodiles to the African continent, to preserve biodiversity and return endangered species to their original habitats.
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