Millions of crocodiles and alligators are farmed globally for skin and meat, in conditions that are poorly regulated and rarely subject to welfare assessment.
Crocodilian farming for luxury leather operates largely outside welfare regulatory frameworks. These animals are cognitively more complex than typically assumed — they engage in play, show maternal behavior, and have complex social structures. Intensive farming systems prevent natural thermoregulation, limit movement, and create stress-induced aggression. Slaughter methods including hammering and neck cutting are inconsistently humane across operations.