Two endangered crocodiles found shot to death

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) -- Two endangered American crocodiles were found dead near Key West, both with gunshot wounds between their eyes, authorities said Tuesday.
A 7-foot crocodile was found Saturday and an 8-foot crocodile was discovered Monday. Both were found on Sugarloaf Key about 12 miles east of Key West, authorities said.
The crocodiles were residents of a pond in an affluent rural neighborhood, but their bodies were found three miles apart and several miles away, authorities said.
Killing a crocodile is a third-degree felony in Florida, punishable by up to five years in prison. Protected under the Endangered Species Act, the crocodile has been slowly reclaiming its range up the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
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