La Ventanilla laggoon feeds from the Tonameca river. The lagoon houses a diverse mangrove ecosystem.
The community that established along La Ventanilla used to descend only to poach for meat, crocodile skin and turtles along the river basin and the beach.
Prefecto, one of the founders of the community says "Crocodiles used to not be abundant in the area". But they have made a comeback, thanks to law banning poaching and urbanization taking up habitat from them"
Crocodiles populations are becoming more concentrated in certain areas, translating in various negative interactions with tourists, including the death of two british tourist in the last year.
A crocodile comes out of the water to protect its nest.
Every morning during nesting season, Beto patrols along the river beds of La Ventanilla. He is looking for nesting sites of the River crocodile (Crocodrylus acutus).
Female crocodiles are vey protective of their nests and can become aggresive if they feel their territory or its nests are in threat
Beto is the expert among the community in finding the nests. He knows the behavior of the elder female crocodiles and where aproximately they will lay. He and his brother have been working with the cooperative for over 20 years.
La Ventanilla receives over a thousand tourists every week. The cooperative are proud that their members have been certified and hold trainings on first aid, while holding an expert knowledge of their territory and the species living in it.
The relationship with Crocodiles have developed slowly. As prefecto says "When poaching became prohibited, we had to make a decision. We decided that we would take care of the crocodile and its habitat".
The cooperative is turning 25 years this year, as they have had to survive 3 hurricanes, political and environmental crises to become more sustainable.
The community offer 2-hour tours to Tourists around the lagoon before getting a closer look at the crocodiles and other species that the community take care of, such as white-tailed deer.
Environmental educations has become key for the project being developed at La Ventanilla by the community.
Prefecto argues that humans "need to learn how to coexist with crocodiles. Communities can draw an economic and well being benefits from the crocodiles, more than they would if they got rid of them and their habitat".
Lomo Verde is the largest crocodile of the pack and is the alpha male. It is believed he is over 70 years old.
Perfecto Says it's "beautiful to study the life of crocodiles, its motives and behavior".
In this way the community are coexisting with them.
Abraham calls the crocodiles by whistling and snapping on the bark, the crocodile knows right away it's meal time.
Abraham is part of the crocodiles team. He feeds, showers and changes the water of the pools. He also gives tours and at night he patrols the beach in search for sea turtle eggs as part of the se aturtle conservation program of the cooperative
He says his grandfather Vicente, one of the founders of the cooperative, used to force him to patrol the beach in search of sea turtle nests when he was a kid. This was the begining of his conservation journey.
Bonifacio, parte de los fundadores de la Ventanilla. Ese dia me conto como inicio todo, desde que empezo a sebrar melon a ser parte de la cooperativa y nacio su interes por la reforestacion de manglar. Boni tiene un conocimiiento especial sobre la siembra. Y me conto como todo hacambiado en su vida, desde las semillas a la forma de sembrar. La semilla ya no da como antes y la temporada de lluvias, ya no es temporada.
Boni es un lider nato, fue aprendiendo en el camino con la cooperativa. Me hablo de los principos de ahorrar, guardar y cuidar para el futuro, con su sabiduria y liderazgo, la comunidad fue andando, aun en tiempo de crisis como fue durante el huracan. Crisis a las cuales ya se han acostumbrado y tienen una oraganizacion