A young Cuban veterinary student and animal rescuer has sparked online discussions after sharing an Instagram video where she affectionately pets her freshly bathed crocodile, urging viewers with utmost seriousness against keeping such a pet at home.
Lorena Montes Peña, who goes by @loorena_mp_ on Instagram, can be seen in the video calmly handling the reptile, showcasing its legs and soft underbelly.
Rather than boasting about her unusual pet, Lorena was clear in her post's description: “I do not recommend or encourage anyone to have one at home. Quite the opposite, it’s far from pretty or easy.”
She revealed her crocodile is named “Marpacífico” and described it as “an indestructible killing machine, physically capable of anything and adept at escaping.”
Regarding the challenges of raising such an animal, she added, “Definitely better not to get involved with these kinds of creatures, speaking from experience.”
In the video, she explains that the level of control she has over the crocodile is the result of months of effort. “It didn’t happen overnight. It’s complicated, requiring a deep understanding of animal training techniques. There are various methods, and with a lot of patience, I achieved this level of respect from it, at least towards me as its caretaker.”
What Lorena doesn’t specify is how she feeds the reptile or the conditions in which she keeps it at home. She posts several videos with it, even showing the crocodile sleeping beside her in bed.
Beyond the novelty of a pet crocodile, the situation raises legal and safety concerns. In Cuba, two protected crocodile species exist: the Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer), endemic and critically endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus).
Both species are protected under Cuban law and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Cubans have had unexpected encounters with these reptiles before. In April 2026, several Florida residents jumped into the water after spotting a crocodile. In July, a Cuban averted disaster by discovering one in similar circumstances.
Experts assert that crocodiles cannot be truly domesticated; they can be conditioned to tolerate human handling, but their predatory instinct remains, making them high-risk animals even for trained caretakers.
One of Lorena’s followers bluntly commented, “I just hope it never turns on you because it’s better to hand it over than to have it ruin your face. Not judging, it’s your pet, but it’s not a game.”
The aspiring veterinarian and animal rescuer also has other pets, such as dogs, cats, and an iguana, which she frequently shares content about, but none receive as many likes as her crocodile.
Crocodile Ownership in Cuba: What to Know
Are crocodiles legal to keep as pets in Cuba?
In Cuba, keeping crocodiles as pets is subject to strict regulations due to their protected status under both national law and international agreements like CITES.
What species of crocodiles are found in Cuba?
Cuba is home to the critically endangered Cuban crocodile (Crocodylus rhombifer) and the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), both of which are protected by law.
Can crocodiles be tamed or domesticated?
Crocodiles cannot be domesticated; they can be conditioned to tolerate human handling, but their natural predatory instincts remain intact.