The Northern Territory’s most famous crocs
When you think of the Northern Territory, you think of crocs — and with good reason. Some of our scaly residents have developed quite a public profile
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WHEN you think of the Northern Territory, you think of crocs — and with good reason. Some of our scaly residents have developed quite a public profile.
Christened with unforgettable names like Brutus, Dominator and Sweetheart, it’s not surprising NT salties have more personality and attitude than crocs from other parts of Australia and the world. They are true heavyweights within the animal kingdom and aren’t afraid to make their presence known.
Here’s a collection of some of the NT’s most famous snappers from over the years.
MICHAEL JACKSON: The albino-headed crocodile was a popular sight on the Adelaide river. The 4.6m saltie’s distinctive appearance made him easily identifiable and a well-known attraction for tourists attending jumping croc cruises on the waterway.
Michael Jackson, however, was shot and killed after taking the life of a 57-year-old fisherman Lanh Van Tran, who was attacked while trying to free a snagged line in 2014.
SWEETHEART: Measuring 5.1 metres and weighing 780kg, Sweetheart was a fearsome presence in Sweets Lookout billabong, about 55km southwest of Darwin, in the Finniss River during the 1970s.
The massive saltie had a reputation for aggressive behaviour and developed a penchant for attacking the outboard motors of boats.
With Sweetheart’s attacks becoming more frequent, a decision was made to capture and relocate him to a crocodile farm. On July 19, 1979, Sweetheart was caught in a trap and anaesthetised but died during the operation to get him ashore. His body is mounted and on permanent display at the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.
CASSIUS: Believed to be more than 110 years old, 5.48m Cassius is the largest crocodile in captivity. He has called Marineland Melanesia on Green Island in Far North Queensland home for 30 years but is most definitely a Territory product.
Cassius, named after the birth name of boxer Muhammad Ali, was caught in 1984 in the Finniss River after terrorising livestock on La Belle station, also know known Labelle Downs. The man responsible for his capture, Grahame Webb, said Cassius was the largest croc he’d ever caught.
DOMINATOR: While he doesn’t get the level of attention his Adelaide River neighbour Brutus does, Dominator is an impressive specimen. The saltie has never officially been measured (it’s tough finding volunteers for that job) but is estimated to be 6.1m in length and weigh more than a ton.
BRUTUS: The giant saltie was already well-known in the Northern Territory but gained world-wide attention when his epic proportions were captured in a picture and slapped on the front page of the NT News with the headline: “Yes, It’s Real”.
Brutus, who calls the Adelaide River home, has become something of a croc celebrity. He was once snapped munching on a bull-shark and is estimated to be 5.6m long. He’s also missing his right front leg — not that anyone is game to tease him about it.
CHOPPER: The Cage of Death at Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove is a popular attraction that allows tourists to share the water with crocodiles. The saltie that arguably gives park visitors the biggest reason to question their faith in the durability of clear acrylic is Chopper — a 5.5m saltie estimated to be nearly 90 years old. Despite missing his front feet after getting into a few scraps in the wild, Chopper has become one of Australia’s most famous animal inhabitants.
BURT: Another Crocosaurus Cove resident, Burt starred in the iconic Aussie flick Crocodile Dundee. While the 5.1m saltie’s acting days are behind him, he’s proven he’s more than a one-trick croc. Burt’s psychic abilities were thrust into the national spotlight last year when he correctly picked Malcolm Turnbull to win the Federal election. However, the less said about Burt’s tip that former CLP leader Adam Giles would win the Territory poll a few months later, the better.
ROPER RIPPER: Does a monster 8m crocodile live in the Roper River? The enormous saltie’s existence hasn’t been confirmed, but several fishermen claim to have seen the fabled beast. Recently, Katherine man Richard Sallis came forward and swore he saw the Ripper while fishing with his mate Ian Graham near Black Fella Creek in 2014.
“We just couldn’t believe our eyes,” Mr Sallis told the NT News. “That’s why there’s no fish in the river. We couldn’t catch anything because he’s eaten it (all).”
If the Roper Ripper was ever found and confirmed to be 8m, he would comfortably beat the mark for the largest crocodile ever officially recorded, currently held by a 6.17m saltie called Lolong, which died in the Philippines in 2013.
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