Hey Cairns, our crocs are bigger than your ‘maybe monsters’

THE folk over in Cairns have gone Troppo under the recent full moon, amid claims by Northern Queensland researchers that their crocs may be bigger than the ones found in the Territory

Saltwater crocodile Dominator leaps for his food on a jumping croc tour on the Adelaide River. Picture: Hayley Sorensen

THE folk over in Cairns have gone a bit Troppo under the recent full moon, amid claims by Northern Queensland researchers that their crocs may be bigger than the ones found in the Territory.

Our friends at our sister paper, The Cairns Post, breathlessly reported on Tuesday that: ”Crocodiles in Far North Queensland could be larger than their cousins in the NT — but (NT News ed’s note: And here’s the kicker) it is unlikely we’ll ever find them”.

Australia Zoo’s head researcher Toby Millyard said: “There’s definitely big crocs out there, particularly in areas that don’t get frequented by people a lot.”

Brutus the croc says ’Hi” to the folks on an Adelaide River Jumping Croc Cruise. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford

Mr Millyard said, however, it would be extremely difficult to find the largest crocs.

“They try and stay away from people as much as possible,” he said.

“The crocs are just so intelligent — there could be some absolute monsters there, and you just wouldn’t know.”

READ: IS THIS THE LEGENDARY 8m-LONG ROPER RIVER CROC?

READ: QLD’S LARGEST CROC IN CAPTIVITY ACTUALLY CAME FROM THE TERRTIORY

READ: THE NORTHERN TERRITORY’S MOST FAMOUS CROCS

But the NT News can not-so-breathlessly report that unlike the “maybe monsters” in North Queensland, there’s plenty of evidence of mega crocs right here in the Territory. Because, you know .... photos!

In fact, two of the NT’ News’ most popular croc photos ever were taken by our own staff members.

Photographer Katrina Bridgeford snapped the world-famous image of Brutus, the Adelaide River croc, dwarfing tourists on the Adelaide River.

And reporter Hayley Sorensen captured a similar image of Brutus’ neighbour, Dominator, doing his thing.

Two separate groups of fishermen estimated this enormous Roper River saltie at 8m long ... one group by comparing it to their 6.5m tinnie, and the others by comparing it to the length of their drag net. Picture: Richard Sallis

Crocodylus Park owner Grahame Webb said there was no proof to indicate Banana Bender crocs were bigger than their Territory counterparts.

“We’ve got more, so the chances are we’ve got ones that are bigger.”

He said the population of crocodiles in the NT had always been greater than that of Queensland.

“In the Northern Territory it’s towards 80 or 100 thousand we think in the wild,” he said.

“I’d say its possibly less than half (in Queensland), but there is no real estimate that I know of.”

The crocodile population is much easier to monitor in the NT, due to a number of surveys that have taken place.

“We’re lucky we had a survey program here that gave us a picture of what was going on the coast line,” he said.

“Since then we have seen the trends, what’s increasing, what’s decreasing.”

While Mr Webb conceded there could be a crocodile in Queensland bigger than any in the Northern Territory, there was no real way of telling.

“The thing with males is they finish growing at different sizes.,” he said.

“Some males only get to 4m long and never get bigger, and some get to 5-, 5.2m; some get to bigger, they’re rarer, a bit like 7ft basketballers.”

Mr Webb said the Territory was the best place for crocodiles to grow.

The capture of Cassius on the Finniss River by Grahame Webb's team in 1984

“The best area for crocs is the Top End — as you get further south it gets too cold.”

In 2017, the NT News reported that a monster crocodile lurking in the deep, dark waters of the Roper River could be the biggest ever seen, with several fisherman claiming it to be at least 8m long.

The photos (see this page) of the enormous saltie was taken by Katherine man Richard Sallis and his mate Ian Graham, who were fishing along the Roper, about 300km from Katherine.

Mr Sallis said he spotted the croc along the bank of the river during the 2014 Dry Season while they were in a 6.5m tinnie.

He said his estimation of its length was based on comparing it to the length of his tinnie.

His claims of it being 8m were backed up by other fishermen, who measured it against their drag net.

To be fair to our Queensland cousins though, the largest croc in captivity is actually a resident of the Sunshine State.

This monster croc was spotted on the banks of the Roper River by several sets of fishermen. Could it be more than 8m? Picture: Richard Sallis

The monster saltie lives in a zoo on Green Island off Cairns and is recognised as the world’s largest crocodile in captivity at 5.48m in length and weighing in at a massive 968kg.

The only problem is Cassius is a born-and-bred Territorian amd was caught in the Finniss River in the NT.

Mr Webb is, in fact, the man responsible for his capture,

He said Cassius was the largest croc he’d ever caught.

Cassius was terrorising livestock on La Belle station, also known as Labelle Downs, when filmmakers wanted a large crocodile captured for use in a film.

“He wasn’t too hard to capture but he was big ... he’d been killing cattle on Labelle Station,” Mr Webb said.