Yangtze Alligator Population May Be on the Upswing

From Treehugger:

photo: Unforth via Flickr

Only 120 Yangtze alligators live in the wild. The Yangtze River, the alligators' natural habitat, is so polluted that the ecological damage has been called "largely irreversible." Poaching is another obstacle to the reptiles' recovery. The alligators are considered a delicacy, and the meat is thought to cure colds and cancer. In 2006, with only 150 specimens in the wild, farm-raised Yangtze alligators were still being served in restaurants. Things looked bleak for the world's most endangered crocodilian species.

But despite these insurmountable odds, the alligators have been marshaling a comeback.

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