Southern Mauritania represents one of the northernmost and most arid areas of the West African crocodile's (Crocodylus suchus) distribution. Here, C. suchus can be found in 96 known sites along the Senegal River, primarily in small, isolated water bodies locally known as gueltas (rocky pools located in upper mountain valleys), oueds (temporary rivers), tamourts (floodplains at the foothills), and the Senegal River.

Due to their limited size and periodic isolation, these habitats typically support only a handful of adult crocodiles (usually fewer than five), leaving populations highly vulnerable to demographic fluctuations and environmental changes. Many of these water bodies are ephemeral, often drying up for months at a time. To survive the dry periods, crocodiles retreat into burrows and aestivate until the return of the rainy season, which lasts from July to October.

Increasing drought frequency, prolonged dry seasons, and intensified pastoral land use have been exacerbating habitat fragmentation and reducing water availability, escalating the risk of local extinction. This fragile balance threatens the long-term viability of these northernmost populations, making a comprehensive assessment critical to identify immediate conservation priorities.

The main goal of this project was to provide updated information on the distribution, population size, and conservation threats of C. suchus in Mauritania, ten years after the last published survey. This comprehensive assessment incorporates data collected during the 2025 expedition as well as data from previous years (spanning from 2016 to 2025).

The specific objectives are to:

• Update the current distribution of C. suchus in Mauritania.

• Update the estimation of population size.

• Update the knowledge on habitats currently occupied by Mauritanian crocodiles.

• Update the major threats affecting the species in the country.

The fieldwork focused on gueltas and tamourts where the species was known, while also assessing threats such as climate change, drought, and increasing livestock grazing affecting these ephemeral and fragile ecosystems.

This project is funded by Luc Fougeirol, Alligator Farm and Aquatis Lousanne.  

PI: Cristian Pizzigalli

Period: 2025-2026

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