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24-10-2016, 10:41
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,416
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Croc Infestation
The headline in the Fraser Coast Chronicle for Monday October 24
CROC ATTACKS COW NEAR THE MARY RIVER
The Mary River flows into the Great Sandy Straits a couple of hundred miles north of Brisbane in the state of Queensland in eastern Australia.
For some years now there have been sightings of crocodiles in the river where they had formerly been extinct. The river has some other unusual denizens with a species of lung fish and a cod fish which can grow up to six feet long.
The article goes on to say:
" A shocked motorist has spotted a cow being dragged into the Mary River by a crocodile. The incident happened yesterday as the woman drove across the Henry Palmer bridge into Maryborough." and that "It was amazing to see."
The article also states that:
"In April two crocodiles, including one larger than 4.5 metres, were spotted by staff from the department of Environment and Heritage Protection. In 2015, a crocodile was captured on film near Petrie Creek at Tiaro by a Landcare group monitoring turtles."
Crocs were pretty well shot out in most civilised places on the east coast of Australia until they achieved protected status. The have been bouncing back for about three or four decades and slowly recolonising the rivers and creeks as they move slowly southwards.
The authorities have a policy of disallowing them south of the Burnett River which is about another seventy miles north of the Mary but the crocs appear to be ignoring the ban. Wonder how far south they will go?
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24-10-2016, 10:46
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Florida
Boat: Seawind 1000xl
Posts: 2,592
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Re: Croc Infestation
Sounds similar to the situation with gators in Florida and some other states in the Southeast US. I can remember as a kid growing up you never saw them except in the Everglades. Now they are everywhere including Disney World.
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24-10-2016, 11:00
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#3
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Long Range Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
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Re: Croc Infestation
4.5 meters? Tiddler! We used to throw those back after they'd taken your arm or leg.
For our US ludite friends that's 15 feet.
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24-10-2016, 11:20
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,829
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Re: Croc Infestation
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomfl
Sounds similar to the situation with gators in Florida and some other states in the Southeast US. I can remember as a kid growing up you never saw them except in the Everglades. Now they are everywhere including Disney World.
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They were there when I was a kid but you only saw them at night if we used a light. Used to swim in a lake almost every day in the summer and we knew there were gators in there but they were scared of people so they stayed hidden. Today, there are too many gators in FLA and too many are being fed by people which is really bad news.
I have seen many places that look empty of gators in the daytime but the place is full of gators. If someone went into the water in these places, they likely won't make it out.
The crocs will go as far south as they can or want.
My FIL ran into a big gator in NC many decades ago. The gator was in a small pond off a river and it was HIS pond. Hair went up on the FIL's neck, the gator was bigger than his canoe, so at least 16+ feet. FIL and canoe out of there since it was obvious that was gator territory.
Later,
Dan
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24-10-2016, 11:53
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#5
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,103
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Re: Croc Infestation
I used to live on the edge of a marsh on Hilton Head Island (South Carolina) and frequently saw alligators in the marsh and in the ponds and canals around the island, including in the parking lot of my bank.
There are also alligators in Texas. One was recently found in the parking lot of school in Dallas. There have been some large alligators found in Lake Texoma (a lake that is on the norther border of Texas with Oklahoma, and they are in Lake Worth (near Fort Worth) and in the Trinity River (the alligators travel up the river from the Gulf of Mexico area). In May, a 900 pound alligator was found in Houston. Of course these are relatively small compared to the Australian Salt Water Crocodiles.
The most unusual place I saw an alligator was in a small park pond in The Presidio in San Francisco. It was apparently released by some person, and was a threat to the ducks, birds, swans that lived in the pond. It was caught and removed to the zoo, but before that happened I saw it swimming in the pond.
When I was in the Philippines, I visited a place where crocodiles are kept. They have some huge ones there too.
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24-10-2016, 12:38
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#6
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,103
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Re: Croc Infestation
I recently saw a short video that stated that 1,000 people are killed each year by crocodiles. That is more than I expected.
What was MORE surprising is the number of other deadly animals out there. The biggest killers are also the smallest (insects and microbes). The video is short, but quickly puts things in perspective, and is entertaining (and surprising) to see.
Here is a link: https://www.facebook.com/steadman.uh...31136346962356
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24-10-2016, 19:59
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#7
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, cruising in Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 28,400
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Re: Croc Infestation
How far south?????
There are persistent rumors of one at Bribie Is. in Moreton Bay, near Brisbane, Qld. Fwiw, I am told they cannot reproduce here, too cold for the eggs to hatch. However, the thought of a sex starved crocodile boggles the mind.
__________________
Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
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24-10-2016, 20:37
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Landlocked in Fort Mill, SC
Posts: 29
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Re: Croc Infestation
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomfl
Sounds similar to the situation with gators in Florida and some other states in the Southeast US. I can remember as a kid growing up you never saw them except in the Everglades. Now they are everywhere including Disney World.
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They were always everywhere in Florida. If there is water there is a better than 90% chance a gator is around. Sadly they have been converting Florida to a concrete jungle and the gators have no choice but to coexist. Unfortunately humans are cucks and kill at will. Everyone loves a lakefront property but can't fathom there is actual wildlife in a lake.
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25-10-2016, 00:08
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#9
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Moderator
Join Date: May 2008
Location: cruising SW Pacific
Boat: Jon Sayer 1-off 46 ft fract rig sloop strip plank in W Red Cedar
Posts: 21,135
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Re: Croc Infestation
I'd be happy if they thinned out the population on the Qld east coast. Those things scare the crap out of me! Don't mind sharks too much, but crocks look like the embodiment of evil, especially when they have you by the leg!
Yet, we've never seen one in the wild, and we've spent a fair amount of time in their habitats. Ummm... maybe that's what scares me: I know they have been around, but I never saw one... that's kinda creepy for me!
Jim
__________________
Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II, lying Port Cygnet Tasmania once again.
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25-10-2016, 13:27
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Boat: Island Packet 40
Posts: 6,416
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Re: Croc Infestation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate
Yet, we've never seen one in the wild, and we've spent a fair amount of time in their habitats. Ummm... maybe that's what scares me: I know they have been around, but I never saw one... that's kinda creepy for me!
Jim
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Also mostly my experience. I have been through the Kimberlies three time and only spotted two of the buggers on a mud bank and about ten of them in a bay at a camping spot where lots of fish cleaning occurred.
Maximum number of sightings for me has been Cairns where they appear to have come to an understanding with the locals. A very large monster dried out on the mud flat about 50m offshore from the swimming lagoon and two others on a mud bank about 100m from where I was tied up to an anchored pontoon at the head of the inlet. I have also seen smaller ones on the mud banks on the southern shore of the harbour and in the mangroves in Smiths Creek.
I am in the Mary at the moment and no one seems too concerned about them and this appears to be the attitude pretty well all the way up the Queensland coast and across the top in Darwin.
The wild life authorities appear to leave them alone until they receive complaints then trap and relocate them.
There was a case in the Daintree river a few years ago where one grabbed a camper in his tent by the leg on a riverside sand bank and started dragging him towards the river. A granny with a broom attacked it and it released the victim and returned to the river. Moral of the story, in Queensland, granny's with brooms are more dangerous than crocodiles.
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25-10-2016, 13:44
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Toronto area when not travelling
Boat: Nonsuch 30
Posts: 1,663
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Re: Croc Infestation
Some experience with both American alligators and Aussie crocs. There is no comparison, the crocs are much nastier beasts. We went from Brisbane to Darwin a few years ago. The enjoyment of the trip was much reduced by worries about the beasts. We saw them in several places along the way. I think in Darwin they shoot them.
__________________
Have taken on the restoration of the first Nonsuch, which was launched in 1978. Needs some deck work, hull compounding, and a bit of new gear.
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25-10-2016, 13:56
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,398
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Re: Croc Infestation
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Cate
I'd be happy if they thinned out the population on the Qld east coast. Those things scare the crap out of me! Don't mind sharks too much, but crocks look like the embodiment of evil, especially when they have you by the leg!
Yet, we've never seen one in the wild, and we've spent a fair amount of time in their habitats. Ummm... maybe that's what scares me: I know they have been around, but I never saw one... that's kinda creepy for me!
Jim
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I'm sure they've seen you!
We've seen lots of them, including one monster in Paluma creek (Hinchinbrook) that was visible from 3/4 of a mile away!
__________________
"You CANNOT be serious!"
John McEnroe
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25-10-2016, 17:58
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Australia
Boat: Catalina 470
Posts: 4,578
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Re: Croc Infestation
Im Australian ,and have cruised the east coast twice, I so enjoy cruising in places where there are less things that eat you and sting you.
I was watching people water skiing in the hichinbrook area in 2009, at anchor that morning I noticed a large log not to far away ,10 mins later I realized it wasnt a log.
Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
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25-10-2016, 19:08
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#14
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, cruising in Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 28,400
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Re: Croc Infestation
I think it was learning that crocs can stay submerged over 2 hrs., spying on you the whole time, that has made me really respect them.
I'm sure 44 ft CC is right, they've been aware of us. And, our boat has a sugar scoop stern, sort of a possible croc cot. So far, no worries, but.......!
Ann
__________________
Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
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25-10-2016, 19:24
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: On the boat, somewhere in Australia.
Boat: Swanson 42 & Kelly Peterson 44
Posts: 9,112
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Re: Croc Infestation
Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkJ
4.5 meters? Tiddler! We used to throw those back after they'd taken your arm or leg.
For our US ludite friends that's 15 feet.
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That's not a crocodile.... THIS is a crocodile...
__________________
Refitting… again.
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