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Who were Australia's original crocodile hunters? By Bridget Judd Updated 17 Jul 2018, 12:54pm Crocodile hunting in the Top End was first pioneered by Indigenous Australians, but it's the beer-swilling, knife-wielding macho men of the Northern Territory whose presence has been etched into popular culture. So just who were these daredevils that would come to typify outback Australia? And what happened to them? "I've never been to the NT, but being a keen hunter and experienced bushman, I loved Keith Willey's book Crocodile Hunt from the moment I rescued it from the library throw-out bin," says Curious Darwin questioner Anthony Story. The book tells the tale of the old-school Top End crocodile hunters, documented in the swamp plains of the South Alligator River, bordering Arnhem Land. Willey teamed up with Bill Dean, a professional crocodile shooter, and together, they explore what life was really like on the buffalo plains. The croc-hunting industry really rose to notoriety in the 1950s and 60s, around the time Willey's book was written and published when scores of hunters made their way to the Top End in search of a quick buck. A group of men pull aboard two crocodiles in the Daly River in 1934. PHOTO: Hunters haul in crocodiles along the Daly River. (Supplied: Territory Stories) Tracking down these old timers poses its challenges. Many safari hunting camps went bust when crocodile hunting was outlawed in the NT in 1971, after the animals were hunted almost to extinction, and most — if not all — of the old-school hunters have since passed away. Source: www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1UEAD_en-gbAU966AU966&sxs....

They Are Living Dinosaurs At The Top Of The Food Chain Not only are saltwater crocodiles the largest reptile in the world, but crocodiles themselves also first appeared over 240 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era. Living up to 80 years old, even today, and growing anywhere from three meters to seven meters in length, the Crocodilia order were once at the top of the animal food chain. They Are Protected Animals After Almost Being Extinct Throughout the last century, saltwater crocodiles have been hunted almost to the point of extinction. However, in 1971 they became a protected species which resulted in their numbers growing drastically. It is now believed that there are around 150,000 salties roaming the ‘Top End’ (north Australia). Today, they are also a high priority for Steve Irwin’s Wildlife Warriors and can be seen in close proximity at Australia Zoo. They Live Amongst Australia’s Murky Waters Although they spend a majority of their time in freshwater rivers and swamps, they move to the estuaries, and occasionally the open sea, during the dry season. In living in the murky waters, it is often hard to see them approach until it is too late. In saying this, they are quite capable of propelling their body in the air by leaping out of the water, and the deeper the water, the more momentum they gain. They Cannot Generate Their Own Heat Or Sweat To Keep Cool Like most reptiles, crocodiles are cold-blooded and cannot produce their own heat resulting in them hibernating or going dormant in the cooler season. Whilst they prefer the heat and live in tropical climates, they cannot generate body sweat, so to cool off, they sit along the river bank with their mouths open. They sweat through their mouths! They Can Easily Crush You With Their Jaws A human can apply 100 pounds of pressure per square inch with their jaw, whereas a crocodile can apply up to 5,000 pounds of pressure per square inch with their jaw. Despite such pressure, they have very little ‘opening strength,’ meaning you can quite easily keep a crocodile’s mouth shut with rubber bands. It allows them to feed on mammals, birds, and fish however, they are not fussy eaters and are happy to eat anything, even a one tonne Water Buffalo. Although they are known to attack humans, they are reported to kill on average less than one human per year. They Are Fast Swimmers But Cannot Swallow Prey Underwater Despite having a heavy set of jaws allowing them to crush their prey, they cannot eat their prey underwater. Within their mouths, they have valves that prevent water going into their throats, allowing them to open their mouths underwater without drowning themselves, meaning they need to rise to the water’s surface, or return to land, to swallow. Although they cannot eat underwater, they can swim up to 32 kilometres per hour and hold their breath for up to an hour. So be careful along the water’s edge as they are capable of ambushing you in the blink of an eye. They Are Famous For Their Deadly ‘Death Roll’ Their deadliest attack is known as the death roll, which is ‘designed to throw large prey off balance enabling them to be dragged into water easily’. Usually, they will watch their prey from the water and ambush the animal, dragging them into the water. When an animal puts up a fight, or it is a larger prey, they will roll their bodies underwater disorientating the prey, making it easier for him to consume. Source: theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/australias-...

I am not sure if the following story is related to the photo, yet it seems interesting: A tale about a monster crocodile, that would be the biggest in history is true, claims a pensioner whose late father told him stories of seeing the beast. Doubt has long surrounded claims a 9.7-metre croc - a world record - was shot dead as it lay on the banks of a river at Mackay, in north Queensland, in the 1880s. But Greg Ellul claims his late father Joe told him stories of paying sixpence to go with his grandfather to see the dead croc's skin hanging in a pub in the 1920s or 1930s. According to reports, the reptile was shot with a high-powered rifle from the balcony of the Leichardt Hotel, which overlooked the Pioneer River. Mr Ellul, who is now 70, says his father would often recall going to view the massive skin stretched across the pub. 'Grandad took Pop to see it one day and it cost them a sixpence,' Mr Elull told Daily Mail Australia. 'He said it was 33ft and when they went into the pub the skin was right across a wall and the tail stretched onto another wall. 'His father took him to go and see it and he used to tell me it was shot in the Pioneer River on a sandbar at low tide from the Leichardt Hotel.' A black and white photo of a massive beast lying dead on the banks of the river with rope around its mouth resurfaced earlier this year. Source: www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5173771/Monster-crocodil...