Treya-Ann Picking (Graduate Student, Department of Life Sciences) is doing critical work with the American crocodile in the swamps, mangroves and artificial habitats around the island, which received a two-year grant from JCP. 

The herpetologist started with catching smaller species, lizards and Cane toads in her backyard. Today, she leads a team, helping her pursue research for her Master’s of Philosophy in Zoology at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

 “My research is focussed on the status of the American crocodile in Jamaica where I'm conducting the first-ever country-wide survey of the crocodile in Jamaica in collaboration with NEPA (National Environment and Planning Agency), The UWI and University of Florida,” Picking explained. 

The NEPA environment officer went on: “Since Jamaica is an island rich in reptile and amphibian diversity, it was easy for me to focus on herpetology. This interest only grew when I started working on the conservation and management of the American crocodile in Jamaica. Reptiles and amphibians can be very misunderstood and underappreciated and I'm therefore on a mission to help people see the beauty in our island's herps.” 

 For close to two years, Picking spends many nights — in the dank, woven mangroves or open sewage catchments in populated areas in Portmore that mark American crocodile habitats — doing eye-shine surveys and attaching satellite trackers on the endangered reptiles.

Photo caption: Herpetologist Treya-Ann Picking is doing critical work with the American crocodile in the swamps, mangroves and artificial habitats around the island.