American Crocodile Monitoring as an Indicator of Hydrologic Restoration in the Southern Estuaries for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District.

Background
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, is offering a cooperative agreement for the project titled 'American Crocodile Monitoring as an Indicator of Hydrologic Restoration in the Southern Estuaries.' This initiative aims to monitor American crocodiles as indicators of ecosystem health and restoration success in relation to the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). The project will assess how changes in hydrology due to restoration efforts impact crocodile populations. This will contribute to the understanding of ecosystem responses and restoration progress.

Grant Details
The grant encompasses several mandatory tasks including: conducting field surveys for American crocodiles in Biscayne Bay, analyzing data on crocodile abundance, body condition, growth, survival, and nest success, and participating in RECOVER meetings. Specific tasks include:
1) Project Initiation Meeting and Annual Project Plans;
2) Crocodile Surveys in Biscayne Bay;
3) Data Analyses;
4) Participation in RECOVER Regional Team Support.
Optional tasks may include updating performance measures and expanding survey areas. The recipient must provide personnel, equipment, and materials necessary for project execution.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants must be members of one of the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Regions: Gulf Coast, Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast, or South Florida Caribbean. Applicants should have a PhD in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science or a related field with direct experience in sampling American crocodiles. Preference will be given to those with knowledge of Everglades ecology and experience with CERP.

Period of Performance
The period of performance includes a Base Period of 12 months from the date of award with up to four additional 12-month Follow-on Periods based on funding availability.

Grant Value
Approximately $143,325 is expected to be available for the Base Period to support mandatory tasks and optional task 5. Additional funding may be available for optional tasks or follow-on work.

Place of Performance
The project will take place within southern estuaries of Florida, specifically Biscayne Bay and Florida Bay.