the natural history and ecology of crocodilians is fascinating.

A number of crocodilian species are exploited for their valuable skins, a natural commodity that earns over US $200 million annually in international sales. The high fashion leather goods made from the skins earn ten times that amount in retail sales. The CSG actively monitors this trade, identifies legal and illegal crocodilian skins and products, and participates in national and international forums to develop laws and regulations that support crocodilian conservation.
In 1971, when the CSG began, all 23 species of crocodilian were endangered or threatened. By 1996, after 25 years of effort, one-third of the species (8) were sufficiently abundant to support well-regulated annual harvests, one-third of the species (8) were no longer in danger of extinction but are not harvested, and one-third of the species (7) remain endangered. No other group of vertebrate animals has undergone such a dramatic improvement in its conservation status.
The key to this success is the cooperation of companies involved in the international reptile skin and leather trade, crocodilian farmers and ranchers, skin traders, tanners, manufacturers, fashion designers, and major retailers. Today, the crocodilian skin industry views conservation as an investment in the future that is equivalent to investing in new equipment and technology. Many of the companies contribute to conservation projects and actively curtail illegal trade