Croc shock!

THE American writer Kurt Vonnegut once said: “If people think nature is their friend, then they sure don’t need an enemy.”

The sentiment rings true for anyone who has spent time in the Australian bush – especially here in the Top End, where crocodiles are plentiful and not particularly playful.

On Tuesday 20 January, Kakadu rangers were contacted by two people – described as “a bit shaken up” – who had a tale to tell. After stopping at a culvert on the Arnhem Highway about 28km west of Jabiru, the pair were walking through long grass when a four-metre croc made a snap decision about breakfast and made a lunge at them.

Fortunately, the two escaped harm, and raised the alarm with Kakadu rangers, who wasted no time before taking action. 

"We sent out two rangers to immediately respond, because we take that very seriously, given what’s happened in the last 12 months with a number of croc fatalities including two in Kakadu,” Chief Ranger Sam Storer said.

“Those rangers went out in daylight hours and had a look to see what was going on on the ground. They could see some large slide marks, and disturbed water, and could detect that there was a large estuarine crocodile inhabiting that waterway.”

The sport of culvert fishing involves a game of chicken between fast-moving road trains on the one hand and monster crocs on the other.

Rangers returned that night to continue the search when they had a better chance of spotting the croc’s eye shine. They quickly located a crocodile fitting the description: a 4.2-metre croc that was missing a piece of its tail. 

"When we got out there, that crocodile was acting in an aggressive style and he was extremely underweight,” Mr Storer said.

The animal was judged to be dangerous – a problem croc – and was shot and removed in the interest of public safety. A Parks spokesperson said it was “always a last resort to have to shoot an animal”.

“We never take this decision lightly, but public safety is paramount. Once a croc has started to display that kind of aggressive behaviour towards people, it’s too risky to leave it out there,” she said.

The spokesperson told The Wire the croc shot after this latest incident was “really big, not in good condition, very hungry, and aggressive”.

At this time of year crocodiles are “quite mobile” and will come out of the water, Mr Storer said.

“The area where he was, with that culvert, there is not much road verge - it is very narrow on the road,” Mr Storer said. “It looked like, with the slide marks, that he had actually traversed the Arnhem Highway as well.”

At this time of year, local fishos are taking their chances with culvert fishing, a curious and dangerous pastime with a long tradition in the Top End. Essentially, the sport of culvert fishing involves a game of chicken between fast-moving road trains on the one hand and monster crocs on the other.

With a 130kmh speed limit in the area, the activity of the croc presented a risk of a fatality from a road accident, Mr Storer said.

Removing the croc from the area proved tricky. Because it was such a big animal, Kakadu staff had to use a tractor to lift the croc up to the road. The incident is a timely reminder that crocodiles are active at this time of year.

“You should assume that they’re present in all of Kakadu’s rivers and creeks. It’s just not safe to go strolling off designated roads and pathways, particularly so close to water,” a Parks spokesperson said. “We’re all relieved to see these two people walk away unharmed. It shows the importance of being Crocwise, for Territorians and visitors alike.” 

The culvert on the Arnhem Highway where the croc was found, 28km from Jabiru on the left-hand-side heading towards Darwin.