Saltwater Crocodiles in Australia

            The summer after my freshman year of high school (2010), I had an opportunity of a lifetime to visit Australia for three weeks with some other high school students. We visited many different areas of the eastern coast and did much sightseeing, but there was one place that stood out, Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park. This zoo had many animals that are native to the country of Australia. There were kangaroos and other marsupials that would run around that you could pet. There were other mammals, insects and birds in cages as well. Then there was the reptile section. When you get to the reptile section. In the reptile section, there was a area with a circle of benches and a zookeeper and docent that would talk to us and bring us reptiles. They brought out pythons, nonreptiles (like koalas) for some reason and my favorite, baby saltwater crocodiles (or “salties” as the Aussies call them. We got to hold the baby crocodiles and watch zookeepers feed the adult crocodiles. It was definitely an unforgettable memory that I will always have.

            Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world. The males can grow up to 6 or 7 meters. That is around 20 feet to us Americans! The females generally grow to around 2 to 3 meters. These crocodiles are one of the reasons why Australia receives the stereotype of scary animals trying to kill people. The saltwater crocodile, besides being vicious, can eat almost anything that moves. While their primary diet are fish, turtles, other small reptiles and birds, they have been known to eat wild boar, cattle and horses. They are apex predators meaning they sneak and ambush prey, drown them or jus swallow the prey whole. They are very territorial, especially where they nest their eggs. Although they are “saltwater” crocodiles, these reptiles have been spotted in freshwaters such as rivers and lakes as well.

            Saltwater crocodiles although can seem scary, are the real victims.  They were once critically endangered. These reptiles have been hunted for years since their meat and eggs were edible and their skin could be used for bags and some clothing such as shoes. However, recent conservation efforts have help the population numbers rebound.

Here are some pictures I took while there:

 13 year old me:

 That Chicken was alive, poor thing:

Feeding him a fish head:

Here are some bonus pictures of other herps I saw:

Source citations:

• "Australian Saltwater Crocodiles - Pictures And Facts About The Saltwater Crocodile." The Australian Outback - Australia Travel. Birgit Bradtke, 2017. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. <http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/saltwater-crocodiles.html>.
• "Saltwater Crocodile." Oceana. Oceana, Inc, Mar.-Apr. 2017. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. <http://oceana.org/marine-life/sea-turtles-reptiles/saltwater-crocodile>.