Watkins is an animal keeper in the Reptile Discovery Center at the National Zoo. She and a team recently helped successfully hatch two Cuban crocodiles — the first such hatchlings at the Zoo since 1988.
What were you feeling when the crocodiles began to hatch?
I’ve been trying to hatch crocodiles for a few years. When the eggs finally hatched, it was one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen.
Why are Cuban Crocodiles considered “critically endangered”?
They have a very small range for their habitat in Cuba. There’s also a problem with hybridization with American crocodiles.
Can you describe why it was so miraculous that the 55-year-old female laid eggs?
We weren’t expecting eggs from this female [Dorothy]. She has not laid a clutch of eggs in many, many years. In the years that I’ve seen, she has never produced young. She mates every year, but she had never laid eggs for us. The reason why she’s so important is she is believed to be a wild caught animal. Her genes are not found in captivity. One day she was really rotund, and the next she was really sunken in. We went in [to the exhibit] and found the eggs.
What went into successfully incubating the eggs to the point of hatching?
We removed the eggs from the exhibit for a couple reasons. We didn’t want other animals to destroy the eggs. The primary reason was we wanted to incubate these eggs at a specific temperature was to produce males. In zoos across the country, we have more females than males. We won’t know for a few years if we have males.
How are the young crocs doing now?
They are so cute. They’re feisty. The one that is a little older has a little spunk to him. He has so much attitude already.
