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Saltwater Crocodile
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- Order: Crocodylia (alligators, crocodiles, etc)
- Family: Crocodylidae (crocodiles and
false gavials)
- Subfamily: Crocodylinae (crocodiles)
- Genus: Crocodylus (crocodiles)
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| Also known as: "saltie" |
Scientific Name: Crocodylus
porosus (Schneider, 1801) |
| Habitat: Coastal
areas; also found along rivers and billabongs as far inland as
tidal influence extends. |
kroko="pebble," deilos="worm
(or man)," porosis="callosity (bump),"
osus="full of"
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| Length: Can reach more
than 20 feet total. |
NOTE: The range
shown here is representative only of the saltwater croc's
distribution in Australia. They can be found from Pacific
islands west to India. |
| Food: Aquatic life as
well as anything on the river's edge (to include humans on rare
occasions!). |
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This large "saltie" was sunning on the
banks of the Adelaide River just east of Darwin. To the
croc's right are mud slides from where other crocs had retreated
into the water. I took a boat cruise to view the crocs here;
I had hoped to see them in Kakadu National Park, but since I was
traveling at the end of the rainy season ("The Wet"),
the billabongs were full and the crocs were dispersed throughout
the park. |
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| This made for interesting hiking
in Kakadu--the croc warning signs were everywhere.
Basically, they say not to venture near water; but after "the
wet," water is EVERYWHERE! Additionally, in Nitmiluk
National Park (Katherine Gorge), I had hoped to go snorkeling in
the clear waters of the Katherine River to get some underwater
photos of the Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni,
the "freshie") as well as some local turtles, but due to
the flooding brought about by "the wet" the river was
swollen and turbid. The flooding brings "salties"
far upstream, and the park officials close the river to swimmers
until sufficient patrols have ensured the "salties" have
been flushed out of the park. The patrolmen were not 100%
sure this was the case, so I took their word for it and stayed on
dry land! |
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