Several crocodilian species have been recovered from the brink of extinction through conservation breeding programs. The welfare management of long-lived, specialized predators raises unique challenges.
The American alligator recovered from near-extinction through habitat protection and farming programs. The saltwater crocodile has recovered in Australia through legal protection and farmed population management. Conservation farming involves hatching eggs from wild populations and releasing farm-raised animals. Welfare management of farmed crocodilians involves thermal gradient provision, appropriate substrate, and water quality management. Long lifespans of 70+ years in some species mean that welfare decisions have multi-decade consequences for individual animals.