Alarming visitor behaviour at notorious Kakadu crocodile viewing spot
September 3, 2024 12:10 PM Subscribe
Alarming visitor behaviour at notorious Kakadu crocodile viewing spot prompts warnings of heftier fines. Rangers in Kakadu could crack down on visitors who are too relaxed around crocodiles inside the national park, with recent footage showing people close to the water's edge at the notorious Cahills Crossing (which at some times of the year can have up to 70 to 80 Salt Water Crocodiles).
Dr Webb also said a bridge over the river could put an end to the regular chaos that occured at the low-lying crossing.
“I don’t know why they don’t put a bridge there, Christ," he said.
"I think it's probably time."
umm... did they feel like it was unnecessary to mention the car that slid halfway into the waterfall? or do they think Lindner's expression says it all?
posted by HearHere at 12:22 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
“I don’t know why they don’t put a bridge there, Christ," he said.
"I think it's probably time."
umm... did they feel like it was unnecessary to mention the car that slid halfway into the waterfall? or do they think Lindner's expression says it all?
posted by HearHere at 12:22 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
chariot, are you safe? Blink twice if you're being held hostage by the crocodilocracy.
posted by phunniemee at 12:24 PM on September 3 [12 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 12:24 PM on September 3 [12 favorites]
chariot, are you safe? Blink twice if you're being held hostage by the crocodilocracy
Heh. I'm fine, the city where I live is 2082 kilometres south (1293 miles) from the nearest crocodile that isn't in a zoo.
It gets too cold where I am for them to be able to digest their food - I think from memory they can't digest food at temperatures lower than 28C (82.4F), but I'd have to check to be sure of the exact temp.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:31 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
Heh. I'm fine, the city where I live is 2082 kilometres south (1293 miles) from the nearest crocodile that isn't in a zoo.
It gets too cold where I am for them to be able to digest their food - I think from memory they can't digest food at temperatures lower than 28C (82.4F), but I'd have to check to be sure of the exact temp.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:31 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
Maybe the humans are devolving at a much faster rate than the crocodiles are evolving!
posted by unearthed at 12:33 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
posted by unearthed at 12:33 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
Risky behaviour around crocodiles in Kakadu could be addressed with harsher fines, ranger says
You think a crocodile bite would be sufficiently harsh.
the city where I live is 2082 kilometres south (1293 miles) from the nearest crocodile that isn't in a zoo.
I'm not sure that's far enough.
posted by chavenet at 12:39 PM on September 3 [7 favorites]
You think a crocodile bite would be sufficiently harsh.
the city where I live is 2082 kilometres south (1293 miles) from the nearest crocodile that isn't in a zoo.
I'm not sure that's far enough.
posted by chavenet at 12:39 PM on September 3 [7 favorites]
I can't wait for tomorrow's post about farthest distance ever traveled by a crocodile
posted by phunniemee at 12:50 PM on September 3 [16 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 12:50 PM on September 3 [16 favorites]
Maybe the humans are devolving at a much faster rate than the crocodiles are evolving!
🦎🐉🐊=🕺π 😱 ⏩⛰️⏰👉🏡
posted by clavdivs at 12:58 PM on September 3 [3 favorites]
🦎🐉🐊=🕺π 😱 ⏩⛰️⏰👉🏡
posted by clavdivs at 12:58 PM on September 3 [3 favorites]
with that many crocodiles you don't get a bite, you get a feeding frenzy.
posted by lapolla at 1:01 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]
posted by lapolla at 1:01 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]
“I don’t know why they don’t put a bridge there, Christ,"
The crocs might develop a taste for construction workers?
posted by TedW at 1:24 PM on September 3
The crocs might develop a taste for construction workers?
posted by TedW at 1:24 PM on September 3
I can't wait for tomorrow's post about farthest distance ever traveled by a crocodile
African or European?
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:42 PM on September 3 [14 favorites]
African or European?
posted by Parasite Unseen at 1:42 PM on September 3 [14 favorites]
Crocodile viewing is by no means on my bucket list.
posted by y2karl at 1:49 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
posted by y2karl at 1:49 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
I will admit to watching "fail army" videos on youtube every once in awhile. One of the things about them is they occasionally put the text "no one was harmed" over a clip where someone or someones definitely could have used some harm to maybe prevent the same thing from happening again. In a similar vein, if it weren't for the fact that undoubtedly crocs would be punished for it, people being stupid around crocodiles seems like a self-correcting problem.
posted by maxwelton at 1:50 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
posted by maxwelton at 1:50 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
Yeah I don’t understand how crocodile attack is not the harshest punishment that can exist.
posted by corb at 1:54 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
posted by corb at 1:54 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
In a statement, Parks Australia, the federal body that manages Kakadu, said it took the issue of crocodile safety seriously.
On rereading this, it clicked: they want to keep the crocodiles safe from the humans.
Seems legit.
posted by chavenet at 2:04 PM on September 3 [5 favorites]
On rereading this, it clicked: they want to keep the crocodiles safe from the humans.
Seems legit.
posted by chavenet at 2:04 PM on September 3 [5 favorites]
can't wait for tomorrow's post about farthest distance ever traveled by a crocodile
"One satellite-tagged crocodile, 12.6-foot-long male (3.8 meters) — left the Kennedy River and travelled 366 miles (590 km) over 25 days, timing its journey to coincide with a seasonal current system that develops in the Gulf of Carpentaria." [livescience]
African or European?
one & the same:
"One satellite-tagged crocodile, 12.6-foot-long male (3.8 meters) — left the Kennedy River and travelled 366 miles (590 km) over 25 days, timing its journey to coincide with a seasonal current system that develops in the Gulf of Carpentaria." [livescience]
African or European?
one & the same:
a scientific project solves one problem but generates further questions and our paper is no exception. So, if true crocodiles, that is to say members of Crocodylus, appeared in southern Europe just at the end of the Miocene where did they come from?posted by HearHere at 2:14 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
The idea is that they came from Africa crossing the Mediterranean Sea... [cambridge]
farthest distance ever traveled by a crocodile
African or European?
Either one would sure as hell grip you by your husk!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:50 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
African or European?
Either one would sure as hell grip you by your husk!
posted by Greg_Ace at 2:50 PM on September 3 [2 favorites]
One satellite-tagged crocodile, 12.6-foot-long male (3.8 meters) — left the Kennedy River and travelled 366 miles (590 km) over 25 days
#remindme Dec 1: check in on chariot's welfare
posted by phunniemee at 2:52 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
#remindme Dec 1: check in on chariot's welfare
posted by phunniemee at 2:52 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
as much as the mean part of me thinks that being eaten by a crocodile is surely more effective than a fine, it's not the best solution for the crocs. some people will want revenge, and other people with vested interests will use any attacks as justification for culling
and kids of course don't get deserve to get eaten because their parents aren't making smart decisions
hiring indigenous locals with area knowledge as rangers to educate visitors and enforce park rules seems like something a lot of people have suggested. maybe fines could help offset the costs of hiring more people
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 2:54 PM on September 3
and kids of course don't get deserve to get eaten because their parents aren't making smart decisions
hiring indigenous locals with area knowledge as rangers to educate visitors and enforce park rules seems like something a lot of people have suggested. maybe fines could help offset the costs of hiring more people
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 2:54 PM on September 3
I think from memory they can't digest food at temperatures lower than 28C (82.4F), but I'd have to check to be sure of the exact temp.Conjure image of a follow-up post from croc’s belly: “Confirmed, all good, I’m not being digested.”
posted by simra at 2:57 PM on September 3 [3 favorites]
Risky behaviour around crocodiles in Kakadu could be addressed with harsher fines, ranger says
You think a crocodile bite would be sufficiently harsh.
Name and shame those who get fined or bitten. You need an embarrassing award ceremony, but the park is too remote so hold in a nearby city to maximize eyeballs and awareness. Some sort of Darwin Award.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 3:22 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
You think a crocodile bite would be sufficiently harsh.
Name and shame those who get fined or bitten. You need an embarrassing award ceremony, but the park is too remote so hold in a nearby city to maximize eyeballs and awareness. Some sort of Darwin Award.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 3:22 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
Thinning the herd (of hoomans)
posted by ZenMasterThis at 3:55 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]
posted by ZenMasterThis at 3:55 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]
On Sunday I went hiking at Malibu Creek State Park in Los Angeles and about three hours after I left a mountain lion grabbed a little kid before being chased down and fought off by the child's father. The child was taken to the hospital and the mountain lion was located, cornered and shot dead by park rangers. It was the right call, and also heartbreaking.
As momentarily satisfying as I might imagine it would be to let the problem of people being careless around saltwater crocs sort itself out I know how humans react when an predatory animal does what predatory animals do and we'll run out of crocodiles long, long before we run out of idiots.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 4:16 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
As momentarily satisfying as I might imagine it would be to let the problem of people being careless around saltwater crocs sort itself out I know how humans react when an predatory animal does what predatory animals do and we'll run out of crocodiles long, long before we run out of idiots.
posted by Parasite Unseen at 4:16 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
Now I want to go to there.
Seriously, though, I do! It looks beautiful and it is a spectacular experience to see any crocodilians in the wild. I looked up Cahill’s Crossing and the Parks Australia webpage has a picture from the viewing platform. It looks like a nice large shaded platform, very well out of striking distance!!
https://parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/do/crocs/cahills-crossing/
It sounds like the abundance of crocs is a seasonal phenomenon. Google Maps has some videos showing vehicles crossing the river when the water is quite high — can anyone cross there or is just ranger vehicles?
posted by stowaway at 4:49 PM on September 3
Seriously, though, I do! It looks beautiful and it is a spectacular experience to see any crocodilians in the wild. I looked up Cahill’s Crossing and the Parks Australia webpage has a picture from the viewing platform. It looks like a nice large shaded platform, very well out of striking distance!!
https://parksaustralia.gov.au/kakadu/do/crocs/cahills-crossing/
It sounds like the abundance of crocs is a seasonal phenomenon. Google Maps has some videos showing vehicles crossing the river when the water is quite high — can anyone cross there or is just ranger vehicles?
posted by stowaway at 4:49 PM on September 3
In a statement, Parks Australia, the federal body that manages Kakadu, said it took the issue of crocodile safety seriously.
On rereading this, it clicked: they want to keep the crocodiles safe from the humans.
There's definitely some truth in this, even if it was made tongue-in-cheek. I happened to go on a croc-spotting tour last week near Airlie Beach and the guide, an avid crocodile lover and self-appointed protector, talked a bit about what happens when a crocodile attacks a human. They either get shot or, perhaps worse for the crocodile, captured and put on a crocodile farm where they can't hurt anyone else. For an animal that can live to 100, living in those conditions would be a very slow torture. He also rattled off a list of possibly made-up statistics about attacks, one of which was that 68% of attacks involve alcohol (he didn't confirm, but I assume he means consumed by the humans). During his safety briefing at the start, he also referred to the boat's lifejackets as an 'Airlie Beach dinner jacket' and strongly advised anyone putting one on not to go in the water.
Crocodiles are amazingly deceptive - they move around so slowly and look lethargic and lazy, but they can jump two metres straight out of the water and move with amazing speed when the urge takes them. I think it's that apparent lethargy that makes people complacent. Also, people are just plain stupid - even more so in groups. Male crocodiles are 100% aggressive towards anything and everything that intrudes on their territory and, once they reach around 1.2 metres long, are very much the apex predator in any coastal waterway in Northern Australia. People often think, because they are referred to as saltwater crocodiles, that they won't be found in fresher water and may think they are seeing the much less aggressive freshwater crocodiles. Technically 'salties' are actually Estuarine Crocodiles and will travel a fair way upriver in search of food and territory.
Cahills Crossing is a fairly important roadway and takes quite some traffic for such a remote area, but I don't see building a bridge as a solution. Apart from the cost and environmental damage, it wouldn't stop people from wandering down to the water's edge for a closer look. River crossings of that style are made to allow water to rise over them unobstructed during, particularly, the wet season and a bridge would have to be quite high to avoid quickly becoming a dam.
In general, crocodile numbers are increasing and that has led to them moving a lot further afield, where they would normally not stray more than 25km or so from where they were born. The males are fiercely territorial and, as numbers increase, they need to move further and further away to establish their own territory.
posted by dg at 6:33 PM on September 3 [5 favorites]
On rereading this, it clicked: they want to keep the crocodiles safe from the humans.
There's definitely some truth in this, even if it was made tongue-in-cheek. I happened to go on a croc-spotting tour last week near Airlie Beach and the guide, an avid crocodile lover and self-appointed protector, talked a bit about what happens when a crocodile attacks a human. They either get shot or, perhaps worse for the crocodile, captured and put on a crocodile farm where they can't hurt anyone else. For an animal that can live to 100, living in those conditions would be a very slow torture. He also rattled off a list of possibly made-up statistics about attacks, one of which was that 68% of attacks involve alcohol (he didn't confirm, but I assume he means consumed by the humans). During his safety briefing at the start, he also referred to the boat's lifejackets as an 'Airlie Beach dinner jacket' and strongly advised anyone putting one on not to go in the water.
Crocodiles are amazingly deceptive - they move around so slowly and look lethargic and lazy, but they can jump two metres straight out of the water and move with amazing speed when the urge takes them. I think it's that apparent lethargy that makes people complacent. Also, people are just plain stupid - even more so in groups. Male crocodiles are 100% aggressive towards anything and everything that intrudes on their territory and, once they reach around 1.2 metres long, are very much the apex predator in any coastal waterway in Northern Australia. People often think, because they are referred to as saltwater crocodiles, that they won't be found in fresher water and may think they are seeing the much less aggressive freshwater crocodiles. Technically 'salties' are actually Estuarine Crocodiles and will travel a fair way upriver in search of food and territory.
Cahills Crossing is a fairly important roadway and takes quite some traffic for such a remote area, but I don't see building a bridge as a solution. Apart from the cost and environmental damage, it wouldn't stop people from wandering down to the water's edge for a closer look. River crossings of that style are made to allow water to rise over them unobstructed during, particularly, the wet season and a bridge would have to be quite high to avoid quickly becoming a dam.
In general, crocodile numbers are increasing and that has led to them moving a lot further afield, where they would normally not stray more than 25km or so from where they were born. The males are fiercely territorial and, as numbers increase, they need to move further and further away to establish their own territory.
posted by dg at 6:33 PM on September 3 [5 favorites]
A family friend famously survived being attacked by a crocodile in Kakadu. Her account of the experience is here.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 7:49 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
posted by the duck by the oboe at 7:49 PM on September 3 [4 favorites]
chariotpulledbycasowaries, here's one for you:
A few years ago a kayak trip I'd been hoping to go on was cancelled because an unknown number of crocodiles escaped from a crocodile farm on the Breede River.
The owner of the farm didn't know how many crocodiles he had, so he couldn't say how many escaped, but it was more than a hundred.
here's a link to the story
(I initially read "human trap with chicken" rather than "humane trap with chicken" quite different mental image )
posted by Zumbador at 8:52 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]
A few years ago a kayak trip I'd been hoping to go on was cancelled because an unknown number of crocodiles escaped from a crocodile farm on the Breede River.
The owner of the farm didn't know how many crocodiles he had, so he couldn't say how many escaped, but it was more than a hundred.
here's a link to the story
(I initially read "human trap with chicken" rather than "humane trap with chicken" quite different mental image )
posted by Zumbador at 8:52 PM on September 3 [1 favorite]
Crocodiles are one of those predators that don't "bite" so much as "attack." Sure, they grab prey with their mouth, but anything too big to swallow whole gets the "death roll" (YouTube at your own risk, but there's a human one in there!).
posted by rhizome at 9:59 PM on September 3
posted by rhizome at 9:59 PM on September 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSeoTtUiytU
A woman who teaches about alligators is attacked by one. She escapes with help from a spectator, advocates for the alligator's survival and gets back to working with it.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 1:07 AM on September 4
A woman who teaches about alligators is attacked by one. She escapes with help from a spectator, advocates for the alligator's survival and gets back to working with it.
posted by Nancy Lebovitz at 1:07 AM on September 4
Speaking as a lifelong resident of north Australia, if you wanna see a croc then go to a croc farm or get on a dedicated croc-spotting tour boat.
This is one creature you absolutely do not want to meet up close in the wild.
posted by Pouteria at 6:48 PM on September 4 [1 favorite]
This is one creature you absolutely do not want to meet up close in the wild.
posted by Pouteria at 6:48 PM on September 4 [1 favorite]
Yeah, as i mentioned in an earlier thread about crocs, crocodilians in general (both crocs and alligators, with which i'm more familiar since i'm in North America) can move way faster than you think they can on land. Over short distances, unless you're an Olympian, they can out-sprint you. Additionally, the bulls of most crocodilian species are extremely hostile to … basically everything.
posted by adrienneleigh at 12:18 AM on September 5 [1 favorite]
posted by adrienneleigh at 12:18 AM on September 5 [1 favorite]
My personal gator lore is that I grew up very close to Fort Pulaski, which has a moat. Occasionally during heavy rains or high tide a gator would trundle in through the marshes around Cockspur and get itself into the moat. The park rangers even had a sign to put up to warn visitors.
posted by phunniemee at 6:29 AM on September 5
posted by phunniemee at 6:29 AM on September 5
68% of attacks involve alcohol
Beware those crocktails!
I was in Daintree a few weeks ago and saw quite a few kids playing in the water at the beach, despite the signs everywhere with ACHTUNG in several languages. Absolutely baffling. The salties we saw were massive and scary, it's completely beyond me why anyone would let their kids take that risk.
posted by goo at 9:21 AM on September 5 [1 favorite]
Beware those crocktails!
I was in Daintree a few weeks ago and saw quite a few kids playing in the water at the beach, despite the signs everywhere with ACHTUNG in several languages. Absolutely baffling. The salties we saw were massive and scary, it's completely beyond me why anyone would let their kids take that risk.
posted by goo at 9:21 AM on September 5 [1 favorite]
I was in Daintree a few weeks ago and saw quite a few kids playing in the water at the beach, despite the signs everywhere with ACHTUNG in several languages. Absolutely baffling. The salties we saw were massive and scary, it's completely beyond me why anyone would let their kids take that risk.
I actually have firsthand experience of swimming in a river in the Northern Territory as a child of 9 or 10 and being shocked that there were several baby freshwater crocodiles (about the size of a shoe) in the water.
Me: Dad, we should get out of the river, there are five small crocodiles in the water.
Dad: Oh, they're only babies, they can't hurt you.
Me: remember yesterday on the crocodile-spotting boat tour, when the tourguide said that when they are that little the mother is still around somewhere nearby keeping an eye on them?
Dad: Oh, you're over reacting/making a big fuss about nothing, don't be such a worry wort.
I got out of the river.
Freshwater crocodiles rarely kill people, but adult freshwater crocodiles could still cost you a hand or a foot.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:11 PM on September 5 [3 favorites]
I actually have firsthand experience of swimming in a river in the Northern Territory as a child of 9 or 10 and being shocked that there were several baby freshwater crocodiles (about the size of a shoe) in the water.
Me: Dad, we should get out of the river, there are five small crocodiles in the water.
Dad: Oh, they're only babies, they can't hurt you.
Me: remember yesterday on the crocodile-spotting boat tour, when the tourguide said that when they are that little the mother is still around somewhere nearby keeping an eye on them?
Dad: Oh, you're over reacting/making a big fuss about nothing, don't be such a worry wort.
I got out of the river.
Freshwater crocodiles rarely kill people, but adult freshwater crocodiles could still cost you a hand or a foot.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:11 PM on September 5 [3 favorites]
Yep, freshies avoid humans whenever possible, and their attacks are rarely lethal.
But while they might be small (compared to their much larger estuarine cousins) they are still substantial (up to 2-3 metres), have a big mouthful of extremely sharp teeth designed to grab and hang onto slippery fish, and can still seriously fuck up a limb, especially if they do a roll while hanging onto you.
posted by Pouteria at 4:54 PM on September 5 [1 favorite]
But while they might be small (compared to their much larger estuarine cousins) they are still substantial (up to 2-3 metres), have a big mouthful of extremely sharp teeth designed to grab and hang onto slippery fish, and can still seriously fuck up a limb, especially if they do a roll while hanging onto you.
posted by Pouteria at 4:54 PM on September 5 [1 favorite]
they might be small (compared to their much larger estuarine cousins) they are still substantial (up to 2-3 metres)
Yes, 6-9 feet of pointy hostile lizard is still way too much lizard!
posted by adrienneleigh at 5:36 PM on September 5 [1 favorite]
Yes, 6-9 feet of pointy hostile lizard is still way too much lizard!
posted by adrienneleigh at 5:36 PM on September 5 [1 favorite]
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posted by ocschwar at 12:18 PM on September 3 [5 favorites]