Crocodiles of Northern Australia
When you were young, they told you that monsters are not real. They were wrong.
The Saltwater Crocodile, often known locally as the “Salty”, easily matches any definition of what a monster is. Even in the relatively low human populated areas of the TopEnd – they are regularly responsible for deaths of humans. They must be in your thoughts at all times around natural water – if you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile.
As well as being a fantastic subject for wildlife photographers – they are also a great hindrance, because of their great threat. A big Salty – if given half a chance – will kill you and eat you. This means its often not easy to get great shots of other wetlands wildlife – getting that close and intimate shot of that Jacana – down low near the water’s edge – might mean getting close and intimate with an apex predator that you can’t even see.
This means its even more important for a visitor to go with a local professional wildlife photographer who knows how to capture the amazing wetlands intimately but safely. Paul has photographed crocodiles for over 35 years as well as the many other fantastic photographic subjects that can be found in the beautiful but very dangerous TopEnd’s wetlands. He takes no chances with crocodiles. He doesn’t think it’d be a nice way to die!
Saltwater Crocodiles are found throughout South-east Asia but are by far most prevalent in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. The many big rivers, billabongs and swamps, along with relatively very low human presence, makes it the perfect habitat for these massive reptiles. But don’t be fooled by the name “Salt” – they are very much in the freshwater billabongs, swamps and rivers also. Unless its a pool in your backyard, and even not then sometimes, assume there’s a croc in there and don’t go to close to the edge.
A Salty can be 7 metres (23′) long and weigh a couple of ton or more – although this is at the extreme end of its size range and would be a very old croc. Your average big salty is still around 5 metres long and well over a ton in weight. Even just its a head can weigh over 200kg (440 pounds) on its own.
The other Crocodile in the TopEnd
There is also another smaller and far less dangerous crocodilian that you’ll come across in the waterways of Northern Australia and this is the Freshwater Crocodile – otherwise known by locals as… you guessed it.. the “freshie”.
No human fatalities have ever been recorded by Freshwater Crocodiles but there have been quite a few injuries when someone got too close and the crocodile acted in self defence with a quick and painful bite. So although they won’t eat you hopefully – they have been recorded as being long as 4 metres (13′) and can still do some damage!
Freshies will often be seen in the same habitat as the larger Salties – but they do keep their distance from their more massive and cantankerous cousins. Unlike the Salty who is equally happy in either saltwater or freshwater – the Freshie is normally only found in freshwater. Many popular NT swimming spots are known to have populations of Freshwater Crocodiles and there are normally no problems. The authorities will normally remove larger Freshies found in these areas.
Pauls photos of Freshies over the years can be seen here.