Page 133 - World of Animals - Book of Sharks & Ocean Predators

Saltwater crocodiles
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Saltwater

crocodiles

and humans

Saltwater crocodile skin is extremely valuable, so
the population was badly dented between 1940 and
1970 due to poaching. In the 1970s the Australian
government brought in laws to protect the crocodile
and the species is now doing well.
Saltwater crocodiles are extremely dangerous to
humans and have a reputation for attacking people
and even boats. Smaller crocodiles attack humans
as part of a territorial display, but larger individuals
can attack to kill. Most saltwater crocodiles live
in remote areas, so the opportunity to prey on
humans is rare, but the slightly smaller Nile
crocodile lives close to humanity in several areas
and is responsible for hundreds of deaths each year
in Africa, demonstrating the potential that these
reptiles have as human-killers. In remoter, more-
impoverished and isolated parts within saltwater
crocodile range, it’s likely that several attacks go
unreported each year.
As part of the conservation effort in Australia,
problematic and dangerous individuals are not
always culled, but instead relocated to crocodile
farms to be used as breeding animals. These farms
enable regulated production of meat and skins,
protecting the wild population from poaching and
giving even aggressive individuals a chance.

Brackish water
Saltwater crocodiles
can survive in the
open sea, but spend
most of their time
in slightly less-salty In our culture
brackish water.
Crocodiles are aggressive predators, and are
o en portrayed as villains in popular culture
Tick Tock the crocodile
In Peter Pan, the Disney adaptation of
J.M. Barrie’s creation, Captain Hook is
pursued relentlessly by the fearsome
saltwater crocodile that ate his hand.

Crocodile Dundee
The 1986 film tells the story of Mick
‘Crocodile’ Dundee, inspired by the © Alamy; FLPA; Peter Scott/The Art Agency; Thinkstock; Ardea;NaturePL.com Dr.jayan.d.; Ian Sutton; Lyndie Malan; Justin Welbergenus ;Cherubino;Lyndie Malan
life of Rodney Ansell, who spent
seven weeks stranded alone in the
Australian bush.
Jacala
In Rudyard Kipling’s The Second
Jungle Book, Jacala the crocodile
is described as making a bellowing
sound like a bull. However, Jacala is
actually a mugger crocodile.

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