Axel the croc flashes tourists in Crocosaurus Cove Cage of Death

*WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT* A racy reptile’s reputation for flashing tourists has lived on in Territorians’ memories. See the saucy snap.

An iconic Territory croc has shocked reptile enthusiasts across the country with a ballsy display bound to make some viewers blush.

There are likely thousands of photos starring Axel the croc alongside Crocosaurus Cove’s infamous Cage of Death.

But a rare snap of the horny beast with his tackle out has broken the internet after it was shared on Facebook.

“I thought it would be bigger,” one user wrote.

“Seeing a crocodick wasn’t on today’s agenda, but here we are,” another wrote.

Former Crocosaurus Cove photographer Mon Atkins – who shared the photo – said a young girl snapped it a few years ago while her mum was taking a dip in the thrilling tourist attraction.

“I was taking photos of Axel with the camera and stuff like that... and we got back and (the girl’s mum) was having a look at the packages after she’d done the Cage of Death,” Ms Atkins said.

“She said, ‘my daughter got this photo and I don’t want it but you have it, you might need it’, and I’ve gone, ‘holy sh-t’.”

The 5.1m saltie with tourists in the Cage of Death.

Ms Atkins said it wasn’t the first time Axel was caught from a naughty angle.

“He would do it at the most inappropriate time and usually when there’s a group of kids or a group for a tour coming in,” she said.

Ms Atkins said the photo had been sitting in her phone’s camera roll for a while but she decided to share it after she joined a new Facebook group.

“I joined that ‘I Love Crocodiles’ page only a couple of weeks ago,” she said.

“Quite a few people have gone, ‘never seen anything like it’ or ‘we didn’t know crocodiles were like that’.”

Ms Atkins said the racy reptile had died since the photo was taken, but remembers the legacy he left behind.

Axel weighed about 900kg and was lovingly known as ‘Big Boy’.

The Territory’s leading crocodile expert Grahame Webb – who opened Crocodylus Park in 1994 – said it was unusual to see a male croc getting worked up outside of mating season.

Professor Webb said Axel’s display was one step of many among croc courtships.

“It’s usually well and truly inside... it only comes out during mating, so I don’t know what he’s doing walking around with it hanging out,” he said.

Professor Webb said mating rituals involve “lots of nuzzling and moving and touching and writhing”.

He said a typical crocodile love-fest happened underwater, out of sight.