What a Croc

Kelvin Aitken · Issue 11, Feb/Mar 2003 · pp. 49–54

Products mentioned: Nikonos V, Canon EOS3, Nikon 801S, Aquatica housing, Fujichrome Velvia, Fujichrome Provia

Sharks have long been the bad boys of the ocean, having the reputation of being fierce man eaters. On rare occasions this has even been true but they are not the most dangerous marine animal on this planet. Box Jellyfish can kill in a few minutes, inflicting pain so intense that the victim dies of heart failure. Or sea snakes have a venom as deadly as any land snake. The simple solution to these apparent threats is to just stay out of the water. Take up bull running, rodeo riding or elephant racing because none of those animals will climb out of the sea and kill you. But not so with a croc. The Salt Water or Estuarine Indo- Pacific Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest predatory reptile on earth and will climb out of the water to drag you screaming to your watery grave. OK, that sounds a bit over the top but in essence it is true. Crocodiles are amphibious and have taken both swi…