Croc Dundees get into rehab

The American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) has been under the lens of renowned U.K wildlife filmmaker, Simon Cowell, not the American Idol creator. Cowell, is a British television presenter who hosts the Animal Planet documentary series called Wildlife S.O.S. For a week now, the U.K. team has been working with ACES to highlight their work in Belize and to educate the public on the importance of the rehabilitation of crocs that are fast disappearing as their species climbs the rungs on the endangered list. News Five stopped in at the rehab center in Ladyville where a new croc was released into rehab.

Vince Rose, Founder/Owner-American Crocodile Education Sanctuary

Vince Rose

“It was really fun because what we did with Simon and his crew, we went down to Punta Gorda and there was still a crocodile alive left in one of the pans; so we rescued that one, set a trap in there, drove it up here and we are able to re-release into its new home; so we saved another croc.”

Simon Cowell, Managing Director, Wild Productions

“We been filming TV series called Wildlife SOS for fifteen years, because I have a wildlife center back in the U.K, so now we spend half of our series filming in the UK and but we try to come abroad for half the series to see what sort of conflicts and problems other wildlife rehabs have and in different countries; and sadly, ninety-nine point nine percent of the times it’s always a human/animal conflict, that’s the big problem.”

Simon Cowell

Andrea Polanco

“So, I understand that you have been in the country for about ten days, what has the experience been like so far?”

Simon Cowell

“We’ve been in Belize for ten days and it’s absolutely amazing; it’s a beautiful country. The mangroves swamps, I mean, we actually took an aerial flight the other day and it was just so stunning to see, what an amazing country to come to. But to see this guys working, to work with ACES, they are the people in the whole of Belize that are dealing with the crocodile problem. And the North American Crocodile is hugely endangered, I mean there are no more of those than there are Polar Bears, and everybody thinks Polar Bears are cuddly and lovely but they are really endangered and they need our help. The problem with ACES, I think they are very misunderstood by the local people; they sort of think they are doing damage but they are actually just taking the problem crocodiles away from the situations so that the crocodiles are safe and so are the people; but it is very hard work for them.”

Andrea Polanco

“And what do you think this exposure will mean for ACES and by extension, the country of Belize?”

Simon Cowell

“I am hoping that people will see what an amazing country Belize is, it’s so beautiful; but importantly for ACES, who have lost everything, they had that dramatic fall last year which took everything, all their possessions which would’ve made me give up, I wouldn’t have been able to cope with that; but they have come through it, their passion is still driving and forward and people need to support them; if they can support them financially, that’s great or with products and produce, anything to help them get through this. They need to rebuild, they need to build more enclosures so that they can take problem crocs away from the public and release them in safe places and what a better country to do it, it’s beautiful.”

Vince Rose

“It’s an absolute blast working with professionals who have done it for thirty years, versus me, eight years. What it does for ACES, any media attention helps with education, and that’s the primary focus. Everyone needs to understand why we save crocodiles, why they are important to stay in the environment and why it’s important not to feed them; so he’s going to help us get that message send out through one of his programs.”

Vince and Sheree Rose have set up a rehabilitation home for both of the American and Morelet Crocodile species. The team said that they’ve had a ninety nine percent success rate in the rehabilitation process of the rescued crocs.