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hoppdoc
.400 member

Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 1791
Loc: Southeastern USA

On Safari--Be careful of the water!!!
#109886 - 17/07/08 04:23 AM

When you do go on Safari don't go fishin/crossing water and be surprised!!

Unfortunately,tragedy can happen in a blink--

http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r288/hoppdoc/?action=view&current=1bfb3447.pbw

Edited by hoppdoc (17/07/08 07:33 AM)

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: hoppdoc]
#109905 - 17/07/08 01:24 PM

That would flat-out ruin your day.

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peter
removed

Reged: 11/04/07
Posts: 1493
Loc: denmark

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
#109915 - 17/07/08 07:17 PM

it looks like the croc's are a human spare parts shop on 4 legs.

peter

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kamilaroi
.400 member

Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: peter]
#109917 - 17/07/08 11:14 PM

In short,

Don't visit the same spot more than twice. At least in FNQ and northern OZ any place less than 2 KM from a creek has a dominant male saltie visiting at least twice a day to mark his territory. Best boat launches in creeks are at least on a 1/2 tide on the fall. (local knowledge)

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Ripp
.577 member

Reged: 19/02/07
Posts: 16072
Loc: Montana, USA

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: kamilaroi]
#109919 - 17/07/08 11:31 PM

There was just an article in "Outdoor Life" regarding the most dangerous of dangerous game...it stated that crocs were responsible for around 200 plus deaths per year in Africa...

While sitting on the Zambezi one afternoon, looking at an island in the river about 80 yards out..I asked the PH if I could make it to that piece of land..from the river bank...he stated "not above water"....hostile world...which keeps it interesting...

Ripp

--------------------
ALL MEN DIE, BUT FEW MEN TRULY LIVE..

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bigmaxx
.375 member

Reged: 13/06/07
Posts: 660
Loc: Bowling Green KY U.S.A.

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: Ripp]
#109922 - 18/07/08 01:23 AM

I heard it said that "all crocs are by definition man-eaters". A point well worth remembering. Well, worth remembering in croc territory anyway. I sure wouldnt want to finish my safari as a big reptilian bowel movement!

--------------------
One day at a time...

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3592
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: bigmaxx]
#109950 - 18/07/08 01:08 PM

Quote:

in northern OZ any place less than 2 KM from a creek has a dominant male saltie visiting at least twice a day to mark his territory

Kamilaroi:
He must be doing this at 3 in the morning at my place, 'cause I've never seen him!

I must be mis-reading this... You implying that a big male croc walks around on dry land 2 km from water, twice a day?

Who told you this?

...and how did they say a croc "marks his territory"?

I think they fall over if they cock one leg!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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kamilaroi
.400 member

Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: Marrakai]
#109957 - 18/07/08 02:11 PM

In short. Along AL coastlines I have seen them patrol from their usual saltwater creek lieup early AM and later in the day. As for the term "mark their territory" then it was the closest metaphor I could think of.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39889
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: kamilaroi]
#110004 - 19/07/08 03:34 PM

2 km would be a very large territory area for some rivers for salties.

Probably more than one dominant male in 2 km?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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kamilaroi
.400 member

Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: NitroX]
#110011 - 19/07/08 04:05 PM

No doubt mate. The area I have some fair knowledge of is Mount Norris Bay under Croker Island (west side under Cobourg Peninsula) and bits of the Nassau and Staaten Rivers westside Cape York. There are smallish tidal creeks fronting the sea that hold a dominant male and maybe subordinates. Thus the "boss cockie" behaviour.

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hoppdoc
.400 member

Reged: 02/03/06
Posts: 1791
Loc: Southeastern USA

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: kamilaroi]
#110019 - 19/07/08 09:43 PM

I am ignorant of croc habits.They are interesting and apparently at the top of their food chsin.Do they have any natural threats in Africa? How about dominant Hippo's??

When do they "lie up" and when do they "patrol"??

Is there an optimal time to spot/hunt them??

How much would a usual dominant male croc weigh?? Their average size?? We all see the ??unusual 12-14 footers and gawk--Yowsers.

--------------------
An armed man is a citizen of his country, an unarmed man just a subject.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39889
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: hoppdoc]
#110031 - 20/07/08 12:31 AM

Quote:

I am ignorant of croc habits.They are interesting and apparently at the top of their food chain.Do they have any natural threats in Africa?

Prides of lion on the shores of Lake Kariba are known to regularly hunt and kill crocodiles as prey.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3592
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: hoppdoc]
#110033 - 20/07/08 12:39 AM

kamilaroi said:

Quote:

any place less than 2 KM from a creek has a dominant male saltie visiting at least twice a day to mark his territory.

OK now I get it: you mean 2km from a creek-mouth in the sea!

The thing about crocs, though, is there are no rules. A big croc can turn up just about anyway there's water, sometimes in a turkey-nest dam (ground tank) kilometres from the rearest creek, or hundreds of kilometres upstream in the big freshwater rivers. Even the tiny little spring-fed streams you can step across, in jungles around the edge of the floodplains! Having said that, incidents are few and far between in northern Australia.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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ALAN_MCKENZIE
.400 member

Reged: 24/03/04
Posts: 1214
Loc: Western Australia

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: Marrakai]
#110034 - 20/07/08 12:56 AM

Tony,I think Joe Wilson might have something to say about your comments.
Al

--------------------
"Dogs always bark at their master"
Sir Seretse Khama.25th June 1949

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kamilaroi
.400 member

Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: Marrakai]
#110055 - 20/07/08 10:45 AM

Quote:

kamilaroi said:
Quote:

any place less than 2 KM from a creek has a dominant male saltie visiting at least twice a day to mark his territory.

OK now I get it: you mean 2km from a creek-mouth in the sea!

The thing about crocs, though, is there are no rules. A big croc can turn up just about anyway there's water, sometimes in a turkey-nest dam (ground tank) kilometres from the rearest creek, or hundreds of kilometres upstream in the big freshwater rivers. Even the tiny little spring-fed streams you can step across, in jungles around the edge of the floodplains! Having said that, incidents are few and far between in northern Australia.

True as I have heard similar tales. BTW there was a diver taken over some commercial pearl beds out to sea a few years back. There was an old Iwatja fella from Wiligi (Reuben Cooper's dad) who could call crocs up. Besides that his sons said he could light 2 fires on the beach and sleep between. Come daybreak there would be a few salties parked nearby. Similar stories all along AL.

For another poster here if you go to Cahill's Crossing on entry to Arnhem Land there are a heap of crocs abt 6-10 foot cruising around (and there are the ones you can't see). Westside under Garig Gunak Barlu NP (Cobourg) the younguns (6 footers or so) sit back abt 20 foot off a tinnie when you're fishing. Talk about fleas on a dog!!

BTW Marrakai, ever seen the cast of "Kris" outside the council chambers at Normanton? Reputedly the original was over 20 foot and taken by a Polish? woman in the 50's.

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4seventy
Sponsor

Reged: 07/05/03
Posts: 2210
Loc: Queensland Australia

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: kamilaroi]
#110075 - 20/07/08 06:48 PM

Quote:

was over 20 foot and taken by a Polish? woman in the 50's.

That would be Kris Pawlowski, wife of Ron Pawlowski.
Both were professional croc shooters "back in the day".

Some years back there was a show on Aus TV detailing the lives of people who had immigrated to Aussie back in the 50's, and one episode in the series featured the Pawlowskis.
It was very interesting.

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3592
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: 4seventy]
#110087 - 20/07/08 10:18 PM

Quote:

BTW Marrakai, ever seen the cast of "Kris" outside the council chambers at Normanton?

Yes I have, many times. Very sobering, standing alongside that massive head!

Best account of the Pawlowskis adventures is in the book "Crocodile Men" by Bryan Peach, which I bought in Weipa while doing survey work on the west coast of Cape York in 2002. Notwithstanding that Krys Pawlowski was a "crocodile woman" at the time!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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Nakihunter
.375 member

Reged: 13/10/07
Posts: 588
Loc: New Zealand

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: Marrakai]
#110191 - 22/07/08 03:46 PM

To side track a bit - what is the largest Slatie (Porosus species) recorded in Aussie?

They are now marginalised in India & are common only in the Sundarbans of Bengal. They used to be found in the mangrove swamps of the peninsular south & up the West coast to Kutch (Pakistan?) until the 1960s. The largest recorded in India was about 31 feet long with a skull length of over 7 feet! Today the crocodile banks have the odd one at 20 to 23 feet long. Even the fish eating Gharial has been recoded at over 25 feet long. Romulus Whittaker is the guru of crocs, snakes & reptiles in India.

--------------------
Always shoot through the target & not just at it.

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3592
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: On Safari--Be careful of the water!!! [Re: Nakihunter]
#110886 - 01/08/08 10:30 PM

Naki:
There are many claims, but I think it is generally accepted that Ron and Krys's croc mentioned above is the largest that anyone has reliably run a tape over in modern times. It was 28 ft 4 inches.

Mark that out on your living-room floor and stand back in stunned silence!

On a related note, a mate recently sent me footage of a reticulated python from Sumatra measuring 49 feet!

We marked that out across the living room floor, through the kitchen, across the hall, through the laundry, and out the back door to the side fence! Unfknbelievable!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

Edited by Marrakai (01/08/08 10:40 PM)

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