By Deb Sorensen in Kakadu National Park
Never smile at a crocodile,
No, you can't get friendly with a crocodile,
Don't be taken in by his (sic) friendly grin,
He's imagining how well you'll fit beneath his skin.
A generation of primary school kids learned that cheery little refrain. Most of them would never have seen a crocodile in its natural habitat. Even those who lived in northern Australia during the '70s would have been less likely to see a crocodile then than now.
Up until 1964, any non-Aboriginal person seeing a crocodile in the wild was more likely than not either hunting them or just shooting them on sight. That the crocodile may have entertained the possibility of the hunter "beneath his skin" was one of the reasons they were shot indiscriminately. More compelling reasons were the market for crocodile skins and "sport".
Crocodiles are the world's largest living reptiles. They have existed almost unchanged for nearly 200 million years. They were around before the dinosaurs. One of the modern crocodile's ancestors, the phobosuchus, was four times as long as the largest modern crocodile. It ate dinosaurs for lunch.
Of the 26 surviving types of crocodiles, two species live in Australia. The estuarine or saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the freshwater or Johnston's crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni) inhabit northern Australia. Both species occur extensively in Kakadu, where their habitats are protected.
Estuarine crocodiles are found along the coast in tidal rivers and billabongs. Large numbers also inhabit totally fresh water lagoons and billabongs. They have been known to travel into the upper reaches of rivers. Johnston's can be distinguished from the saltwater crocodiles by their narrower snout and smaller size. They feed on small animals, fish, frogs, lizards, snakes, rats, bats and birds.
Saltwater crocodiles feed mostly on fish, but may also eat larger land animals. They have attacked and eaten people.
Crocodiles are an integral part of the ecology of the areas they inhabit. They help maintain a natural balance in the aquatic food chain and conserve the character of the waterways they inhabit.
Despite their size and stealth, crocodile populations are fragile. Although they are protected in Kakadu, relatively few crocodiles reach maturity. Nests are often washed away or inundated by rising flood waters. Young crocodiles are prey to feral pigs, sand monitors (big lizards), birds, fish and other crocodiles.
As a result of extensive hunting, crocodiles faced extinction by the 1960s. Despite local resistance, which continues to this day, conservation ruled over machismo and profiteering, and protective legislation was passed in the Northern Territory in 1964 and 1971.
The 1964 legislation aimed at protecting freshwater crocodiles. The numbers of saltwater crocodiles were severely depleted by the '60s, and hunters began killing the freshwater crocodiles. In 1971 additional legislation made the indiscriminate slaughter of the saltwater crocodiles illegal.
Freshwater crocodiles are generally timid in the presence of people. However, they become aggressive during their breeding season, from June to August. Unfortunately, this is also when most tourists visit Kakadu. Although they become cagey, freshwater crocodiles have not been known to injure people.
Unlike the bad old days, most people coming into Kakadu these days feel nothing but good will towards the crocodiles, if mixed with a dose of trepidation.
A survey conducted recently on behalf of the National Parks and Wildlife Service asked people why they wanted to see Kakadu. Most respondents gave high priority to factors such as learning about Aboriginal culture and visiting a World Heritage area. But high on many priority lists was the desire to see a crocodile. One respondent added three ticks and three exclamation marks to this expressed desire.
Locals too, have got round to thinking of the crocodiles as their friends. While not many make their living from crocodile hides any more (crocodiles are farmed in the Territory), there is still a dollar to be made from this unique animal. Everywhere you turn, there is reference to the "crocs".
There's the Hard Croc Cafe (with a huge cement croc outside), Crocodile Cars, Jumping Croc River Cruises, Crocodile Souvenirs, Croc-Pot Take-aways, Croc Spot Tours ...
Then there are stuffed toy crocs, croc earrings, croc fridge magnets, croc ornaments and crocs in neon. In short, crocodiles contribute a helluva a lot to the identity of the Northern Territory. Not all of the ways in which crocs are utilised are tasteful, but it's better than considering them good only for their hides and for hunting.
It has taken a long time and a revolution in consciousness for people to see the necessity of protecting wild life regardless of the danger it may pose to people or the profitability of unrestricted exploitation.
However, while the crocs in this part of the world may have got a break, they are only a small part of the bigger picture. There are thousands of endangered species, threatened these days more by the destruction of their habitats for profit than by hunting for hides and sport, although that continues as well.