Right: Crocodiles ahead, but opinions vary on whether crocs or humans need protection.
 Found a word you're not familiar with? Double-click that word to bring up a dictionary reference to it. The dictionary page includes an audio sound file with which to actually hear the word said. |
Arguments against increased crocodile culling in Australia1. Increased crocodile culling is unnecessary and ineffective as a means of reducing attacks on humans
Opponents of greater crocodile culling claim there is no clear link between increased crocodile numbers and increased risk to human life. They claim that people can reduce their likelihood of being attacked by behaving responsibly and that culling may put people at greater risk by making surviving crocodiles more dangerous.
A recent study has found there is no simple connection between increased populations of crocodiles and increased frequency of crocodile attacks and human deaths. The study released in August 2024 examined data covering the last fifty years in the Northern Territory. It showed that between 1979 and 2022 there were 76 crocodile attacks resulting in 23 deaths. However, the data did not demonstrate that these deaths were primarily related to growing numbers of crocodiles and people inhabiting the same area.
The study notes, 'The human population in the Northern Territory (NT) has almost tripled in the last 48 years, increasing from 92,869 people in 1975 to 250,635 people in 2022.' It further claims, 'There has also been a substantial increase in the density of estuarine crocodiles greater than 2 m over the past 48 years, with the density increasing from 0.07 crocodiles/km in 1975 to 3.07 crocodiles/km in 2019.' Despite these high rates of human and animal population growth, the data shows that since peaking in 2009, the frequency of crocodile attacks has decreased by 10 percent per year for the ten following years.
The number of deaths resulting from crocodile attacks follows a similar trajectory. Growing numbers of people and crocodiles are inhabiting northern regions but there is no corresponding increase in the number of deaths. The one of the most recent fatal crocodile attacks in the Northern Territory was reported in July 2024.
Crocodile researcher Brandon Michael Sideleau, based at Charles Darwin University, acknowledged this tragic event but claimed, 'Amid the emotion surrounding this latest incident, it's important to remember fatal crocodile attacks are extraordinarily rare in Australia - and there is no evidence to suggest [crocodile] numbers are too high.' To substantiate his claim Sideleau noted that prior to the 2024 death, the last fatal incident occurred in 2018, while the highest number of fatalities on record occurred in 2014 when four people died. He also noted that the fatality rate in Australia is far below that found elsewhere in the saltwater crocodile's range. In Indonesia, where crocodile population density is only about a third of that in Australia, at least 85 people were killed in 2023 alone. One of the reasons offered for the low rate of crocodile attacks and fatalities in Australia is the public education programs that are in place. Ben Pearson of World Animal Protection's Australian team has stated, 'Education on coexistence with saltwater crocodiles is needed, not culling.'
The Northern Territory has an extensive crocodile safety education program, Crocwise, as well as a comprehensive management plan. Crocwise aims to make people aware of the locations where crocodiles pose a threat and how to conduct themselves to reduce their risk of attack. It also has a reporting system which allows people to report crocodile sightings to increase public safety. Queensland offers the same public education program and as of December 2024 is targeting high risk demographics (men over 30) to ensure that they are aware of how to minimise their chances of attack.
Brandon Michael Sideleau has argued that human beings can reduce their risk. He claims that where human beings recognise the danger and behave cautiously and appropriately, the likelihood of attack is significantly reduced. He states, 'It appears human behaviour and human population densities are correlated with increased attack frequency.' It has also been claimed that increased crocodile culling may increase human risk by making those crocodiles that survive the cull more aggressive. Crocodile researcher Brandon Michael Sideleau has warned that when large crocodiles are culled in a particular crocodile territory this upsets the power balance within that community. Smaller, inexperienced subdominants will move in and fight for dominance.
The result of this struggle can be increased danger of crocodile attack. Wildlife and environment writer, Robert Onfray, has noted, 'The younger males fight each other to claim ownership of the newly vacant territory and they are much more aggressive and secretive. They may not be as big but they're big enough to kill someone.' 2. Crocodiles perform several important ecological functions
Crocodiles are apex predators, and it has been claimed that they help to keep the population numbers of other species in balance. They are also opportunistic predators, eating many types of prey including injured animals and carrion. This may help to maintain the health of other species populations and make waterways less polluted. Increasing crocodile culling would reduce the ecological benefits they offer.
Crocodile conservationists claim that as apex predators crocodiles are necessary to maintain ecological balance. The World Animal Protection Organisation has noted, 'As adults they regulate the populations of other animals - stopping them from overcrowding and degrading ecosystems. Crocodiles also create habitats for other animals by burrowing and nest building. During the dry season, the presence of crocodiles deters land animals from using and drinking the limited water supplies. This protects aquatic life and systems.'
One promising development is that the resurgence of saltwater crocodiles in the Northern Territory my help to control destructive introduced pest animals such as feral pigs. A 2022 study suggests thatby shifting their food preferences to feral pigs, the rising saltwater crocodile population is helping to suppress pig population growth.
Kakadu tour guide and Murumburr man Dennis Miller has similarly stated, '[Crocodiles] keep our feral animals down, especially the pigs, that do a lot of damage to our ecosystem, our flood plains and rivers. Also, they eat buffalo, so they eat all the feral animals, that we have had trouble to control because of a lack of funding.' Not only do crocodiles help to regulate the numbers of other species, but their behaviour also makes them unlikely to overpopulate. Though the saltwater crocodile lays between 40 to 60 eggs, they cannibalize their own young, when necessary, thus preventing overpopulation and overstraining their ecosystem. Studies of the Philippine crocodile have found it eats ailing fish in a significantly higher proportion than healthy fish, thus improving the common health of the fish stock. By preying on the most common fish, they balance the fish population; any species which suddenly becomes dominant is put back in its proper proportion.
It has been speculated that Australian crocodiles may behave similarly, preferring prey that is more easily caught and so helping to keep preyed upon populations healthier by removing sick or injured animals. Recent research has not been able to substantiate these claims and more studies been called for to confirm this probable effect. Crocodiles are credited with helping to keep Australian waterways in crocodile territory clean because of the manner in which they consume their prey. Crocodiles tend to eat their entire prey, reducing the likelihood that carcasses will be left to rot. The geography resource WorldAtlas states, 'Crocodiles and other members of the Crocodilian family have a ferocious digestive system that is immune to bacteria, viruses, and microbes. . .This immunity and their ferocious eating habits make crocodiles the guardians of the freshwater ecosystem. They feed on every part of a prey preventing flesh from decaying and spreading harmful infections.'
A report from PBS Nature states, 'A croc's metabolism is so evolved that its body uses and stores nearly the entirety of the food it consumes.' The Australian Museum's entry on crocodiles notes, 'Small prey is simply crushed and swallowed, however larger prey may be dragged to deeper water before being dismembered and eaten. If the meal is too big to be swallowed whole, the crocodile will grab hold with its jaws and shake violently. . .After eating its fill (a crocodile's stomach is relatively small), the crocodile will store the remains in mangroves or underwater to feed on again later.'
The PBS Nature report also noted, 'A croc's stomach is the most acidic of all vertebrates, allowing it to digest bones, horns, hooves, or shells. Nothing gets left behind in a crocodile's dinner. In fact, these hard objects are used as "gizzard stones" in the croc's stomach to help grind coarse food.' It has also been noted that crocodiles help to keep waterways clean by eating dead or dying animals that would otherwise pollute the water. Ashley Reilly, part of James Cook University's student placement program studying wildlife around Cains, has noted, 'Scavenging is a natural behaviour for many apex predators, and crocodiles will eat carrion, including dead animals that wash up in rivers or lakes, or even those killed by other animals.'
The World Animal Protection Organisation has stated, 'Protecting and restoring crocodile habitats benefits people by creating clean water supplies.' 3. Crocodiles provide economic and promotional benefits which would be undermined by increased culling
Opponents of increased culling note that crocodile tourism generates significant revenue in Australia. It is claimed that culling could damage this industry and negatively impact local economies. It is further claimed that crocodile culling might damage the reputation of both the Northern Territory and Queensland as unspoilt, eco-friendly tourist destinations and have a wider negative impact on north Australian economies.
Crocodile supporters claim the animals are vital to the Northern Territory's tourist industry. Crocodile researcher Brandon Michael Sideleau, based at Charles Darwin University, has stated. 'The entire economy here depends on wild crocodiles. It's the reason people come here more than anything else. [Culling] wouldn't have an impact on the crocodile population as a whole, but it would have an impact on large crocodiles.' Sideleau went on to explain that reducing the number of large crocodiles would harm tourism.' He further claims, 'Hunters [when culling] are going to want to go after the absolute largest crocodiles, and these are precisely the ones that tourists want to see. I think it's counterproductive.'
A 2009 Queensland report on the commercial use of crocodiles in Australia stated, 'The fascination with crocodiles as powerful and dangerous beasts in the wild has spawned a vibrant tourism industry based on crocodile viewing in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.' Travel guide publishers 'Lonely Planet' are an example of the way tourist experiences with crocodile in the wild are used to promote the Territory. One of their publications begins, 'The closest living relative to the dinosaur, with a bite force thought to rival that of a T.Rex, saltwater crocodiles are the ultimate apex predators. With more than 100,000 of them patrolling the waterways of Australia's Northern Territory alone - that's one saltie for every two human residents - it's the best place on the planet to see these reptilian relics in action.' The publication goes on to list Corroboree Billabong boat tours, Cahill's Crossing. outback floatplane adventures, Crocodylus Park and jumping croc boat tours. Studies have been done to demonstrate how widely crocodiles have been used to promote the Northern Territory and to a lesser extent Queensland. A 1998 academic study produced in the relatively early stages of the Northern Territory's use of crocodiles as promotional material noted, 'The crocodile features strongly in tourist brochures and advertising. One Darwin car hire company used a crocodile in an advertising campaign aimed at Northern European markets in tourism trade fairs in late 1997/early 1998. In personal communication the marketing manager stated that this was done because the crocodile is equated with the Territory, it reflects adventure and natural settings, evokes an image of excitement and is consistent with an image that Europeans and North Americans had of Northern Australia derived from films like "Crocodile Dundee". Crocodile soft toys with wide grins can also be found in souvenir shops, and large plastic models can be found by the side of the Arnhem highway being used to advertise accommodation in much the same way as dinosaur models are used in North America at locations like Drumheller, Alberta, Canada.'
Studies such as this indicate the potential damage that could be done to Australia's reputation as a wildlife tourist destination if a larger scale crocodile culling program was adopted. Concern has been expressed about the impact of increased crocodile culling on Australia's international brand as an eco-friendly nation. Referring specifically to the Northern Territory, crocodile researcher Brandon Michael Sideleau has stated, 'I think it's a bad look, because it's going to really negatively impact the Northern Territory's reputation as an eco-tourism destination."
A 2017 report on the economic value of the crocodile industry in the Northern Territory stressed crocodiles' 'brand recognition' value. The report claims that the reptiles have an 'iconic status' and stated, 'Brand recognition adds value at the level to which it may induce further tourism and business opportunities that would not have otherwise occurred without it.' The report noted that crocodiles had made the Territory an attractive location for films, documentaries, and other media products. The report concludes, 'This generates economic value not only in terms of the direct expenditure of the film crews when they visit the NT, but also in the further development of the NT brand.' Tourism plays an important role in the economies of the Northern Territory and Queensland. A report published in 2023 indicated that tourism is a major employer in the Northern Territory, supporting 12,500 jobs or 8.5 percent of all jobs in the Territory. Tourism is even more critical in some of the Territory's regions, such as Kakadu Arnhem and Katherine Daly, where tourism accounts for 14 percent and 11 percent of jobs, respectively.
The Northern Territory's 2023 budget figures indicated that visitor expenditure in the Territory decreased by 4.7 percent from the previous year to $2.6 billion. Critics note that care must be taken to ensure that this decline in visitor expenditure does not become an entrenched trend.4. Increased crocodile culling disregards animal habitat rights and could threaten the species' survival. Not all culling methods are humane.
Critics maintain that increased culling ignores the animals' right to live within their natural habitat and could threaten their continued survival. It is also claimed that some culling methods are cruel.
Critics object to the anthropocentric view that natural habitats and the creatures that live in them are of secondary importance to human beings. They claim that this view has led to the destruction of many habitats and the extinction of innumerable species. Supporters of animal rights claim that as sentient beings, all living creatures are entitled to humane treatment. They also have the right to enjoy life within their natural habitat. The Australian Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals' (RSPCA) Animal Charter states, 'Animals have an intrinsic value of their own and, accordingly, must be considered to possess the right to live in a way which enables them to have a positive life and to develop and enjoy their inherent qualities.' The Society claims that in addition to being treated humanely, 'Native animals and birds should be maintained safely in their natural environment and should be free from hunting, trapping and captivity.' The RSPCA states that culling should only occur when animal welfare considerations require it, for example, when a natural habitat has become over-populated and other means of population control are ineffective. It further states that all killing methods must be humane.
Critics note that when animals' right to their habitat is over-ridden the result is often extinction. Crocodile numbers were in serious decline in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland after World War II when the ready availability of hunting rifles saw the growth of the crocodile leather industry and widespread hunting for sport.
In an article published by Physics.org on February 29, 2024, Andrew Leeton noted, 'Before government protection in the 1970s, an estimated 98 percent of the wild saltwater crocodile population had disappeared in the Northern Territory, driven by leather demand and culling.' In 1971, crocodile numbers in Australia were put at only 3,000. Worldwide, crocodile numbers are falling. In an article published in 2015, Professor Gordon Grigg of the University of Queensland noted, 'The chances for about half of the 27 species are pretty slim if the trend in human land use continues . . . Habitat is being destroyed, crocodiles are being caught in nets, feral pigs are eating croc eggs. It has also been suggested that in Australia, climate change could have a negative effect on the country's crocodile population. Professor Sam Banks, director of Charles Darwin University's research institute for environment and livelihoods, has said that although crocodiles preferred warm weather, a changing habitat would limit their ability to breed. Professor Banks explained, 'They need vegetation for females to make nests, those low areas around waterlines with particular kinds of reed and grasses.' These breeding areas are being threatened by rising sea levels.There is concern that if the trend away from crocodile conservation continues, the species could once again be threatened with extinction. Australian crocodile management experts claim that the country's crocodile safety education programs and selective removal of animals have resulted in the lowest crocodile-related fatality rate in the world. However, they claim, that while crocodiles continue to live in the wild and encounter human beings there will always be a certain number of attacks and deaths.
Some supporters of culling do not appear to accept this and want higher culling rates than currently adopted. Queensland MP Robbie Katter is a long-time supporter of increased culling. He has stated, 'No one wants to kill loads of crocodiles, that's ridiculous . . . It's just a matter of trying to bring them back [to] normal numbers - 20 percent might be a good start.' Crocodile conservationists are concerned that reducing crocodile numbers so significantly could precipitate a return to previous widespread culls. Professor Grahame Webb, a zoologist who founded Crocodylus Park in the Northern Territory in 1994, has warned that the adoption of practices such as those proposed by the Katter Party 'would just return things back to where they were a long time ago'. Researchers have claimed that very large numbers of crocodiles would need to be killed to reduce the risk of attacks on humans. Dr Cameron Baker from Charles Darwin University has noted that data-based modelling has shown that to reduce the frequency of attacks by one a year, culling would need to remove 90 percent of the crocodile population. Dr Baker has claimed that this approach would 'push the species back into the critically endangered category'. Finally, it has been claimed that some of the methods used to kill culled crocodiles are cruel and so violate the animals' right to humane treatment. The methods used to kill crocodiles on Australian crocodile farms have been criticised by animal rights groups because of the distress they can cause. The group World Animal Protection has stated, 'The killing of crocodiles on farms is a confronting and brutal process. Footage of this process obtained by PETA Asia on an Australian crocodile farm shows a crocodile in obvious distress and moving while a rod is being repeatedly jammed into its brain.'
Similar criticisms have been made of the killing methods used when culling crocodiles. Among the methods used is a captive bolt. This process involves shooting a metal bolt into the crocodile's brain and then retracting the rod. This killing method has the potential to cause the sort of distress described by the PETA report. The Queensland Code of Practice for the Taking, Handling and Transportation of Crocodiles states, 'The use of a captive bolt is considered an acceptable method of euthanasia with reservations. These reservations are based on equipment being fully functional and personnel that are trained and skilled in the procedure to ensure operator safety and animal welfare.'
Critics note that given authorities' reservations about this practice there is an obvious likelihood that not all crocodiles will be killed humanely. Similar criticisms have been made of the stunning procedure sometimes used before killing crocodiles. A scientific study released in 2023 found that electrical stunning did not always result in unconsciousness. The report stated that the process 'was not consistent across all animals...[poor animal response] could indicate alertness, pain or distress.' 5. Human carelessness is the primary factor leading to crocodile attacks and fatalities. Increased crocodile culling is likely to increase incautious behaviour by residents and tourists.
Critics claim that it is human carelessness, not increased crocodile numbers that is the primary factor leading to crocodile attacks and human fatalities. There are also concerns that culling could have a negative effect on human behaviour around crocodiles, causing a false sense of security which could encourage reckless behaviour.
Opponents of increased culling claim that attacks and human death rates are determined not by crocodile numbers but by human behaviour. They note that despite the Northern Territory having one of the highest crocodile densities in the world the area also has the lowest rate of crocodile attacks and human deaths for an area that is a crocodile habitat. Research has indicated that in the Northern Territory there are about five crocodiles for every kilometre of waterway, yet the fatality rate is far lower than elsewhere in the saltwater crocodile's range.
In comparison, Indonesia has only one crocodile per kilometre of waterway yet in 2023 had 85 fatal crocodile attacks. In the same year Australia had only two deaths resulting from crocodile attacks. Crocodile researcher Brandon Sideleau attributes this difference primarily to human behaviour. Sideleau has noted that there are differences in Australian wealth and living standard which allow people to behave more safely within crocodile territories. He notes, 'Australians generally have access to fresh water in their homes. Unlike people in . . . Indonesia, they do not need to travel to waterways to bathe, carry out domestic chores and collect drinking water. That means they are less likely to encounter crocodiles. . . Australians [also] have access to fishing equipment which does not require them to submerge themselves in waterways to fish, and safer fishing vessels which, unlike in Indonesia, are not prone to capsizing.' Sideleau notes that Australians also have the advantage of a widespread public education program that shows them how to behave safely around crocodiles. Critics of increased crocodile culling argue that when attacks and fatalities do occur in Australia, they are generally the result of ill-judged, careless human behaviour. It has been claimed that repeated hazardous human actions are creating situations where crocodile attacks and human deaths are more likely to happen. As an example, a 40-year-old New South Wales man was fatally attacked by a crocodile in the Annan River area in far north Queensland on August 3, 2024. Video footage was subsequently discovered on social media showing a fisherman feeding crocodiles from fish frames at the same location, prior to the man's death.
Critics have claimed that feeding crocodiles attracts the animals to a certain area, leads them to associate humans with food and reduces their caution around human beings. Daniel Guymer , a Department of Environment, Science and Innovation senior conservation officer, has noted that crocodiles are apex predators with the capacity to modify their hunting methods based on interactions with humans. He has warned, 'If people are feeding this animal, or feeding crocodiles in general at other locations, it will encourage that animal to stay in that area and that will, of course, present a safety risk to any individuals who attend that location after.' One local fisherman complained, 'You've got locals and tourists throwing who knows how many frames into the water there [at Crocodile Bend] because everyone knows it's probably the guaranteed spot close to Cooktown to see a croc . . . Crocs are part of life up here on the Cape but the actions of those idiots feeding them week after week at that part of the river probably contributed to the death of that poor bloke.' Conservationists have observed that several different categories of people act irresponsible around crocodiles. Tourists sometimes act carelessly because they do not accept public safety warnings. In February 2023, a 37-year-old man was attacked by a crocodile at a boat ramp near Cooktown in far north Queensland after ignoring reports of a crocodile in the area. The man was able to escape when the crocodile that attacked him took his dog. The man's social media posts indicate that he had wanted 'to go full bush' and he appears to have been attempting to catch a water python. He subsequently admitted, 'I have, unfortunately, learned the hard way.'
However, critics have noted that the Australians most likely to adopt careless attitudes around crocodiles are locals, especially men over thirty. Queensland has just begun a public safety program targeting this demographic. The Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science, and Innovation has stated, 'Research has found the most likely victims of croc attacks are men above the age of thirty who live in north Queensland, with most attacks happening while they're fishing or boating. It is an urban myth that interstate and international tourists are more likely to ignore Crocwise signs and messaging than locals. Over time, some locals become complacent around the water because they haven't seen a crocodile for a long time or have never seen a crocodile at a particular location.' Finally, opponents of increased crocodile culling argue that it may be counterproductive as it could lead to an increase in careless human behaviour. In July 2022, a Queensland committee on crocodile management recommended a return to limited crocodile culling. Professor Craig Franklin of the University of Queensland advised that this could reduce human safety. Professor Franklin stated 'My sense is it's going to lead people to have a false sense of security and complacency, [with people] thinking, "Gee, the Queensland government got rid of all the large animals. It's OK to go swimming in this waterhole".'
David White, who operates the Solar Whisper sightseeing tour on the Daintree River, has similarly stated, 'I know people want guns and want to shoot crocs and they think that's the answer but it's not . . . the biggest problem removing crocs is people then assume it is safe, so there's increased complacency.' Warning against complacency, Mr White cautioned, ' It is not the croc you see that's involved in the attack, it's the one you don't see, they are the perfect ambush predator, and we simply don't know they are there.' Cairns crocodile advocate Tommy Hayes has advised against culling, concluding, 'Humans need to be held accountable for their idiotic decisions as well as complacency-driven lapses in judgment.'