Living with the buwaya
Balabac has one of the densest crocodile populations in the Philippines. For people who wash, bathe and fish in its rivers, that's a daily risk.
Written from public sources to get this page started. We'll replace it with the story as Balabac residents tell it.
The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) says the highest concentration of crocodiles in the Philippines is at the southern tip of Palawan. They're saltwater crocodiles, and they live in coastal waters, river mouths, rivers and creeks, often among the mangroves.
From 2000 to 2019, PCSD counted 32 crocodile attacks in the Philippines. Seventeen happened in Balabac.
Why it keeps happening
Residents told PCSD it's hard to stay out of the water. Many homes have no piped water and many rivers have no bridge, so people wash, bathe and cross where crocodiles live. Fishers go out at night because that's when the fish are.
As mangroves are cleared, and as both people and crocodiles grow in number, they meet more often. Livestock and food scraps also draw crocodiles close to houses.
In January 2026, a 50-year-old resident of Barangay Sebaring was killed by a crocodile. PCSD staff and the Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center (PWRCC) tracked a 10.9-foot male for seven days, caught it on January 23 and moved it to the center in Puerto Princesa.
What it means for visitors
Swim only where your boatman or guide says it's safe. Stay out of mangroves, rivers and river mouths, and stay out of the water at dawn, at dusk and at night.
Read the crocodile safety rulesPCSD's plan for Balabac looks ahead to 2029, when it hopes people and crocodiles can live in the same place in peace. Warning signs, mangrove restoration, other ways to earn a living, and bans on dumping garbage are part of it.
If you want to see a crocodile up close, visit PWRCC in Puerto Princesa, not the mangroves.
