Crocwise campaign lacks bite with funding of just $64k, says leading NT expert Professor Grahame Webb

THE Territory Government put aside $64,000 to fund its Be Crocwise campaign this year but experts are sceptical whether it’s enough to educate the public about safety in any meaningful way

A tourist gets way too close to take a photo of a crocodile catching mullet jumping over Cahills Crossing during a high tide last month. Picture: Sue English

THE Territory Government put aside $64,000 to fund its Be Crocwise campaign this year but some experts are sceptical whether it’s enough to educate the public about croc safety in a impactful way.

Parks and Wildlife community engagement manager Emily Findlay said the $64,000 set aside for the campaign in the Government’s 2018/19 Budget covered Crocwise advertising, staff travel, marketing goods and the cost of site registrations for its event stalls and not wages or vehicles.

Leading NT crocodile expert Professor Grahame Webb said he did not think the campaign had been given enough funds to make a “meaningful impact”.

“When you spread it around, how much is $64,000 really?” he said.

“It’s not enough to drive a program like this.

“Public education is paramount but right now the NT Government seems to be depending on a lot of other people to spread awareness for them like tour boats and other operators.

“It doesn’t seem like a priority right now, but if there’s an attack in Darwin Harbour I bet that’ll get them in line quick smart.”

Ms Findlay said rangers travel to remote schools including Jilkminggan, Nauiyu and Borroloola every year to deliver Be Crocwise presentations. They also attended the Freds Pass, Katherine and Darwin shows and the Barunga Festival.

“In 2017/18 the Be Crocwise team carried out 102 presentations to the community and spoke to more than 17,500 people about the dangers of saltwater crocodiles. This is a 29 per cent increase on the previous year.”

Mr Webb said that was a promising sign as long as rangers were not “simply ticking off boxes from the Department” and seriously getting the right message across to the public.

“We need to teach people to understand why crocs attack people because the majority just aren’t aware of how they behave or the signals you’re sending them,” he said.

“If you’re splashing around downstream crocs can hear those vibrations through the water and they think there’s injured food nearby.

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“When they’re hunting they go underwater without a ripple and pop up right in front of you when it’s already too late. So if you were in the water like that bloke out at Shoal Bay was the other day, you wouldn’t have a chance.

“People also need to understand that even when they’re by the water’s edge, they’re at risk.

“Crocs are expert predators and you won’t see them coming either.”

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Sixteen people have been killed by crocodiles in the Northern Territory since 2005, including the death of a female wildlife ranger in Arnhem Land last month.

Anyone who sights a crocodile near Darwin beaches should call 0419 822 859 to report it to the Parks and Wildlife Crocodile Management Unit.