Cull more crocs

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I'm all for harvesting crocs, it's best for everyone including them, although I don't think the odd person getting eaten is any reason to do it, if you're not careful enough to avoid being eaten, silly you and lucky croc :)

"Got 'em!!!"
 
It seems from reports that the guy did everything right in terms of recommended safe camping in that area. This is one of those situations where the recommended safety measures proved inadequate.

Having said that not many real locals that I know anyway would have camped at that site without taking extra precautions.

QLD gov is in a real catch 22 situation. Most tourists dont really know the risks and telling them too grafically will scare them away. On the other hand the croc population is really out of control up here, it is only a matter of time till someone gets taken off one of Cairn's beaches let alone in a remote area.

Boat owners at the Marinas are scared to walk on the edges of the pontoons, people used to waterski in the Cairns harbour/inlet.

I believe they need to better control numbers of crocs in built up areas, in a national park let them thrive but they must better educate people about them.

Then again perhaps we just place too high a value on human life.

Michael
 
Re: RE: Cull more crocs

Sdaji said:
I'm all for harvesting crocs, it's best for everyone including them, although I don't think the odd person getting eaten is any reason to do it, if you're not careful enough to avoid being eaten, silly you and lucky croc :)

"Got 'em!!!"
Yep! I agree with you!

I love the idea of being able to see wild crocs when I'm travelling through the northern parts of Oz, I respect them in the fact that I don't swim in their waterways or invade their habitats. But as much as I like the crocodiles for what they are I won't be as ignorant as saying that nothing should be done.

michaelh said:
I believe they need to better control numbers of crocs in built up areas, in a national park let them thrive but they must better educate people about them.

I also agree Michael!
 
RE: Re: RE: Cull more crocs

NT currently culls 600 per year, and there is a push for "safari" style hunting. As long as it doesn't endanger the animal I don't mind.
But remember, Crocs are the main predators of wild pigs, less crocs could mean more bush pigs
 
Call me an idiot (and many do) but if you don't like the idea of being attacked by a croc don't go swimming, camping, boating etc in northern Australia....if a croc knocks on your front door and bites your leg off then you have reason to complain.
When people go into these places, wether they know the risks or not and do get attacked what right do they have to complain....they were in the crocs house.

I don't think killing animals so we can enjoy something safely is right,i find it quite sickening but thats me....if you go to northern Australia an get attacked.....tough luck.
 
Having said that not many real locals that I know anyway would have camped at that site without taking extra precautions.

Boat owners at the Marinas are scared to walk on the edges of the pontoons, people used to waterski in the Cairns harbour/inlet.

When I was in Townsville last year I saw locals catching prawns and going fishing in one of the big rivers a couple of kilometers from the ocean. There were salties in that river and signs warning about it, but these locals were standing with their feet in the water! Scarey stuff!

I must admit, I took an absurd risk a few days earlier, I was driving along the hwy just north of Townsville and saw huge numbers of turtles sunning themselves on rocks and logs sticking out of a river, so we stopped to have a look (hundreds of them - really awesome!) there were the 'don't go near the water or you'll be eaten by a saltie' signs, but that didn't stop my friend from jumping in when she saw heaps of large fish in the river, she wanted to catch them. I was ... 'strongly suggesting' (almost begging to be honest) for her to get out, but after about 10 minutes of watching the fun I got jealous and jumped in too! :oops: Lots of fun and caught two big fish each with our hands, which were really yummy :) :D :) :D but what utter insanity! I cringe to think about it now! :oops:

A few days earlier still I was near a river where heaps of locals and tourists were swimming, despite the signs. I wouldn't swim there and people laughed at me. Someone had been eaten there a few years earlier. It's weird about what makes us act like complete morons in some cases but sensible in others.

Does anyone know what is happening in Katherine gorge these days? I've been up there a couple of times and on both trips spent a couple of days swimming and playing in the water along the gorges (saw some freshies while in the gorge :) ), but then a year or two after I heard you couldn't swim there anymore because salties had moved in. One of the best days of my life was spent in Katherine gorge, canooing and swimming.
 
When I lived in Cairns there was a three meter saltey who lived in the inlet and used to follow the yacht tenders at a safe distance. You were proberly safe in the dingy but you wouldn't want to fall in.
Also I had to inspect a trawler hull that was mored there. I entered the water quitely, did the inspection quickly then got out quitely and moved briskly away from the waters edge. During the entire time my back felt ice cold, in fact just thinking about it, still send shivers down my spine.
If you do a risk-benefit analysis of this event, the only answer you get is stupid
 
When people go into these places, wether they know the risks or not and do get attacked what right do they have to complain....they were in the crocs house.

Very good point made there!
 
Call me an idiot (and many do) but if you don't like the idea of being attacked by a croc don't go swimming, camping, boating etc in northern Australia....if a croc knocks on your front door and bites your leg off then you have reason to complain.
When people go into these places, wether they know the risks or not and do get attacked what right do they have to complain....they were in the crocs house.

I don't think killing animals so we can enjoy something safely is right,i find it quite sickening but thats me....if you go to northern Australia an get attacked.....tough luck.

Hey Duga,

Not having a go at you but I do think people need to make a distinction between Wilderness areas and National Parks and built up areas.

Here is an example, I live on one of the beaches in Northern Cairns. there are 8 or nine of them running North that are similiar in relationship to Cairns as the Northern Beaches from Manly to Palm Beach are related to Sydney City. Up here there are creeks/rivers between most of them and these creeks/rivers have crocs in them. Generally only 1 adult male that could be dangerous.

In Sydney and in many parts of the world the beaches are netted and big sharks are KILLED if they even approach a beach. All we need to do is relocate these big males north and most of the prolblem vanishes. We dont need to Kill them but for the sake of moving a few big crocs we could make our beaches a good deal safer.

I agree with you re the non populated areas and actually believe the crocs are one of the major attractions to the area. How attractive would safaris in Africa be if there weren't Lions and Hippo's. BUT the authorites need to lift their game a long way in terms of warnings and education to tourists of the dangers.

Just my thoughts to give a northern perspective on the discussion.

Fuscus, we are all waiting for somebody to get taken that way, its just a matter of time.

Cheers
Michael
 
If you relocate a big male he either
A/ is placed in an unoccupied but suitable territory.
B/ is placed in an unoccupied and unsuitable territory.
C/ is placed in an occupied territory in which case he is either killed, moved on or moves on the owner.

If it is B/ or C/ and the animal is not killed then the loser moves on and the process continues.
So it is highly likely that there is a shuffle of territories and eventually a new male is moved back into the territory that was recently vacated.

But if you remove the animal ( either kill it or move it to a farm ) them that territory becomes vacant, this will eventually be claimed by another croc.

There are no easy answers.
 
I was swimming in the katherine gorge in august Sdaji and had my best day outa all when i was up there. We canoed up to the 3rd gorge and swam in every gorge. The ranger told us they check for salties in the dry season by trawling the gorges or something. He said its not safe to swim in the wet season tho.
Cheers Stevo
 
Shark nets are another disgusting thing we do, i've always hated shark nets and i would love them to be taken away.

As fuscus said if you relocate big crocs they are only going to come back or another one will take its place, we build our houses in their habitat and then expect them to move....if you want to live near crocs or go swimming at the beach.....don't complain if you get attacked and i certainly dont think the animals should be killed.
 
re croc kill

Even if several hundred crocs were killed in Nth Queensland, it still wouldnt be safe to swim in rivers and some beaches, so what would be the point? Theres always a good chance of meeting a croc if you are in his environment, no matter how many were removed.

In spite of all its other environmental incompetance, the Qld government recognise this, and would be very unlikely to allow a kill. Its a kill, by the way, not a cull.

Pat99rick
 
It's the old human condition of superiority, any animal that threatens our dominance cannot be allowed to live where we might visit. It gives you a buzz to see any animal in it's natural setting, be it a croc, taipan, or just an echidna making it's way in life. It would be a sad day if you didn't have to watch your step in the scrub.
 
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