Puerto Vallarta marked Mexico’s National Crocodile Day with its first Crocodile Festival at Estero El Salado, drawing more than 600 people for a family-oriented conservation day.
The environmental fair was held at Parque Estatal Estero El Salado and brought together more than 22 institutions, organizations, collectives and specialists. Activities focused on the river crocodile, the protected wetlands where it lives, and practical coexistence guidance for residents and visitors exploring Puerto Vallarta’s ecotourism and nature spaces.
Local coverage attributed to the municipal government said the festival was organized with Estero El Salado, SEMADET and the Centro Universitario de la Costa. Roberto Ornelas, Puerto Vallarta’s director of Environmental Sustainability, emphasized that crocodiles are neighbors with important ecosystem functions, and asked the public to report sightings rather than feed animals, throw objects at them or approach them.
The event adds a positive education angle to a topic travelers often ask about before visiting mangroves, lagoons and river mouths. Families found workshops, scientific materials and interactive spaces, while visitors received the same core advice used in Puerto Vallarta’s crocodile-safety guidance: observe from a distance, keep pets and food away from habitat edges, and let trained authorities handle sightings near urban areas.
For travelers, the broader takeaway is that Estero El Salado remains one of the city’s key living classrooms. Its boardwalks and protected habitat, recently back in the news after access updates, make the reserve a useful stop for understanding how Puerto Vallarta balances tourism, wildlife and wetland protection.
