Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, July 26, 2026 – A 1.41-meter crocodile was captured along the Río Cuale and relocated to Estero El Salado on Saturday, but the operation did not resolve reports that two additional crocodiles may be moving through the river corridor.
The search began after people in Emiliano Zapata reported three crocodiles near the riverbank. Municipal Civil Protection and Fire Department personnel worked with Semarnat, Profepa and the city’s Patrulla Verde during the response.
Aquatic Rescue personnel monitored the river and removed vegetation at several points to improve visibility. One crocodile was located about 50 meters downstream from the original sighting and captured without reported injuries to the animal or response crews, according to local reporting on the operation.
The municipal account did not identify a street or precise point along the riverbank. Separate reporting by NoticiasPV placed the operation opposite Colonia Buenos Aires, upstream from the river’s passage through Centro and Emiliano Zapata.
Two warning signs were installed along the river following the capture. Officials said the signs were needed because other crocodiles may remain nearby.
Authorities have not announced whether either of the other two reported animals was located during subsequent monitoring. They also did not disclose the captured crocodile’s sex, estimated age, or whether it had previously been tagged.
Saturday’s operation was the second confirmed crocodile capture along the Cuale within ten days. A tagged animal measuring 2.93 meters was captured near the Molino de Agua development on July 16 after moving through the lower river. That crocodile was later released near the Río Ameca.
The two animals differed in length by more than 1.5 meters, confirming that Saturday’s capture involved a separate crocodile rather than the return of the larger tagged animal.
Movement through rivers, estuaries and coastal areas becomes more frequent as water levels rise during the rainy season. Puerto Vallarta is also preparing to add reported sightings to Jalisco Alerta, allowing people to consult real-time crocodile locations once the service is active.
No riverbank or beach closure was announced in connection with Saturday’s operation. People who see a crocodile should move away, avoid feeding or attempting to capture it, and report the location through 911.
