Crocodile Capers

Posted on 22. Nov, 2008 by Kerry Banks in International

What is it about the Aussies and crocodiles? First there was Crocodile Dundee, then Steve “the Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, and now there is a new $30 million theme park in Darwin called Crocosaurus Cove, whose major attraction–the “Cage of Death”–allows thrill-seekers to swim face-to-face with a massive saltwater crocodile. Tourists climb into a clear acrylic enclosure about four centimetres thick and 2.8 meters tall, wearing only a pair of swimming goggles and a swimsuit. The cage has no bars unlike the cages used in shark dives, which prevents the reptiles from gripping on, although it does not prevent them from biting the acrylic. The cage is then slid along runners over four crocodile pens, carrying a maximum of two divers at a time, and partly immersed in the water so swimmers can see the crocodiles under the water but also come up to the surface for air.

Michael Scott, the entrepreneur who opened the attraction in July 2008, said in a Reuters interview that there is plenty of demand for the $83 thrill with the venue even boasting one celebrity croc, the 5.1 metre long Burt, who starred in the Australian movie Crocodile Dundee. “In the Northern Territory, the saltwater crocodile is an icon and is part of our life. They are always in the news, either in someone’s swimming pool or killing someone’s favourite horse,” said Scott.

Saltwater crocodiles, known locally as “salties,” are earth’s largest reptile, with males growing up to seven metres long and weighing more than 1,000 kilograms. They are found across Southeast Asia, but the highest numbers inhabit northern Australia. Not fussy eaters, these crocs will dine on monkeys, kangaroo, wild boar, dingos, birds, domestic livestock, pets, water buffalo, sharks and humans. Most prey animals are killed by the creature’s incredible jaw pressure. The saltwater crocodile reportedly has a bite force of 3,800 pounds, about the same as a Tyrannosaurus Rex. To put this in perspective, the bite of a five metre “saltie” would be like a 3.5 tonne diesel truck landing on your foot. And that’s not taking into account the effect of the teeth. Few people who have experienced the sensation have lived to tell of it. One who did was a veterinarian at a Taiwanese zoo who was doing medical work on a saltwater crocodile in April 2007, when the inadequately sedated animal suddenly awoke and bit his forearm off. After seven hours of surgery, the appendage was successfully reattached.

Although saltwater crocodiles are definitely dangerous, fatal attacks on humans in Australia are actually quite rare. Since 1971, there have been 74 documented attacks–22 of which have been fatal. The most recent occurred in October 2008 in Queensland when Arthur Booker, 62, went out to check some crab pots on a crocodile-infested river in the state’s north. Booker’s wife, Doris, later found the crab pot with the rope severed, and a video camera on the riverbank alongside crocodile claw marks. A search for Booker located his watch and sandals nearby. Two weeks later his remains were found inside a 4.5 metre crocodile.

Austraila is not the only place to employ these prehistoric giants as a tourist draw. At several crocodile farms in Thailand gaping spectators gather to watch young men perform stunts like reaching down the throats of crocodiles and even putting their heads between the jaws. Alligator wrestling also was once a mainstay of the Florida tourist industry, but changing public tastes and determined pressure from animal activists has recently put this form of entertainment on the endangered list.

However, in northern Australia the connection runs deeper. The crocodile, which is an important figure in aboriginal culture, appearing frequently in stories, songs and artwork, has emerged as a symbol of the region. The Townsville Crocs are one of the region’s pro basketball teams. There are car rental companies, hotels, restaurants, and even an ice cream bar named after crocodiles. And this fascination shows no signs of slowing down. In 2007, the Australian film industry produced not one, but two thrillers about killer crocs.

Blackwater transports viewers into the Australian swamplands with three luckless twentysomething tourists. The trio, relaxing on a boat tour, have barely cracked open their first beer when a man-eating crocodile knocks them overboard, consumes their tour guide and then chases them up a mangrove tree. Rogue recounts the story of a group of tourists on a river cruise whose boat is rammed from below and sinks into a swamp. The terrified sightseers find themselves marooned on a tiny island that turns out to be the lair of a huge, man-eating saltwater crocodile. The promotional poster for Rogue evoked the famous Jaws image, depicting a monstrous crocodile emerging from the gloom beneath a flailing swimmer. The film’s catchline is “Welcome to the Territory.”

The most expensive Australian horror film ever made, Rogue was written and directed by Greg McLean, who hit box-office paydirt in 2005 with his grisly thriller Wolf Creek, in which three backpackers whose car has broken down in the Outback fall prey to a lone maniac who kidnaps and tortures them. Before its release, Australian tourism officials expressed fears that Wolf Creek, which is based on a true story, would deter foreigners from visiting the country’s outback. Instead, backpacker visitors to Oz actually increased by nine per cent during the year after the film was released.

Given this evidence, instead of scaring the crapola out of prospective visitors, tourism reps said that they expected Rogue to attract visitors to the Northern Territory. Tourism Top End president Sylvia Wolf noted that the prospect of dicing with danger, whether it is with a mad murderer or a giant crocodile, appears to boost tourist numbers. “Whenever we have a bad accident or somebody gets taken by a croc, it seems that the interest goes up,” she said.

Maree Tetlow, managing director of the Northern Territory Tourist Commission, also predicted an increase. “Crocodiles and national parks are big attractions for visitors to the Northern Territory and potentially the movie will showcase both.”

Even so, not all Australians are sold on the idea of crocodiles as a tourist magnet. A major controversy erupted earlier this year over the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to relocate a crocodile 1,000 kilometres from Bamaga, in far north Queensland, to Barramundi Creek, south of Townsville, as part of a scientific experiment to see whether it would establish a new home range. In October, just a few weeks after Arthur Booker’s gruesome demise, the crocodile, dubbed Whitey by locals, shifted itself to a more luxurious location off the popular Magnetic Island resort. Tourist operators were incensed when beaches were closed after Whitey was spotted, and a local council candidate organized a “Stop the Croc” rally.

But Queensland Tourism Minister Desley Boyle claimed that crocodiles in waters close to populated areas were actually a boon to tourism because it lured international tourists wanting up-close photos. “The fascination with our wildlife, including our dangerous wildlife, is a drawcard to tourists in the tropics, far from it being a barrier or a means of dissuading them from coming,” she said.

Boyle’s comments did not sit well with local business people who began organizing a campaign to have her sacked. At the same time, opposition politicians started clamouring for an official probe into the Environmental Protection Agency’s crocodile management program. As for Whitey, he later died died of starvation in an EPA holding pen, having swallowed 25 plastic shopping and garbage bags and a plastic wine cooler bag that prevented him digesting food.

Photo Credits:

#1: ntnews.com.au

#2: dailymail.co.uk

#3: videogum.com

#4: premium.asia.cnn.com

Tags: Australia, Crocodiles