1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Mix one oh four point nine. It's seventeen minutes away 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: from eleven o'clock. And I'm sure you've seen these photos 3 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 1: floating around of this well, quite a massive for quite 4 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:14,760 Speaker 1: a fat three point six meters saltwater crocodile in a 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: culvert on Gunpoint Road. Now it's actually in the same 6 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: spot where a dog was taken a few weeks ago. 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:22,439 Speaker 1: And joining us on the line to tell us a 8 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: little bit more about what's unfolded over the last week 9 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: and I believe even from the weekend as well, when 10 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: another crocodile was captured in the same area. Is wildlife 11 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: ranger on the Crocodile Management Team, Ian Hunt. Good morning 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: to you, Ian. Let's try that again. Good morning, Ian. 13 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 2: Good morning Katie. Thanks for having me on. 14 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 3: Oh, thanks for joining us. Mate. Tell us a little 15 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,680 Speaker 3: bit more about this crocodile. Which was it captured yesterday? 16 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's correct. Yeah, a three point six meter crocodile 17 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 2: was removed from a trap that had been installed at 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 2: that COVID yesterday morning. 19 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: Goodness me tell us exactly where this colvit is and 20 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: is it somewhere which. 21 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 3: Is frequented pretty regularly by locals? 22 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, it's a covit that's along Gunpoint Road, the 23 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: new Gunpoint Road that's been bitch minsed up to up there, 24 00:01:13,040 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 2: just the other side of how It Springs, And it 25 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 2: is a very popular spot and has been for a 26 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,400 Speaker 2: number of years, with people pulling off there or washing 27 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:23,320 Speaker 2: their quad bites or even exercising their dogs or horses. 28 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 2: So is a very popular spot and we're just trying 29 00:01:25,600 --> 00:01:27,720 Speaker 2: to get the word out there that obviously we have 30 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 2: removed two large crocodiles in the past four days, and 31 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: that doesn't mean that there aren't any more crocodiles there. 32 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: So I just want people to heed the warnings to 33 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 2: be careful. 34 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: Oh. Absolutely, So there was the three point six meter 35 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: crokey yesterday and then on Saturday there was another three 36 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: point five meter crocodile. And it follows on from a 37 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: dog being taken there a few weeks ago too, or 38 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 1: about a week ago or a couple of weeks ago 39 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: as well, doesn't it. 40 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. We were alerted to an incident about 41 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 2: two weeks ago that a sadly a family pet was 42 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 2: taken while it's been exercise up there at the location, 43 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 2: and as a precaution, we put a trap in straight 44 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 2: away to try and remove the offending crocodile. And since 45 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,239 Speaker 2: then we've removed, as you said, the two crocodiles since then, 46 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 2: and as you say, that doesn't mean that area is 47 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 2: now safe, and same with all colts across the NT. 48 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 2: Really just everybody needs to be very careful and vigilant 49 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: this time of the year. Crocodiles are on the move 50 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 2: and they can be found in any waterway. 51 00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, and Ian, is it a situation as well where 52 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: you know, when we get a lot of rain, there's 53 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: more about or they're able to move around a little 54 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: bit more freely. 55 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right. They are able to move a lot 56 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 2: more freely when there's this water. You know, we're coming 57 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 2: out of the breeding season for the saltwater crocodiles. The 58 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,800 Speaker 2: females have all been laying their eggs and the males 59 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 2: are now on the move and feeding up, you know. 60 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:45,480 Speaker 2: So we are seeing a lot more signings. People are 61 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 2: reporting a lot more crocodiles, and we're very grateful for 62 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,960 Speaker 2: every bit of information that we get in the public 63 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 2: giving us a call, because that helps us do our 64 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:55,960 Speaker 2: job and hope, hopefully keep the public a lot safer 65 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 2: Now mate with. 66 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:58,839 Speaker 3: This area along Gunpoint Road. 67 00:02:58,880 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: For those like myself who aren't overly familiar with it, 68 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: can you sort of describe it for us? 69 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:04,839 Speaker 3: Is it a very I mean, is it a very 70 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 3: big waterway? 71 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: So the area where we've got the trapp installed isn't 72 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 2: a massive waterway, So it's a concrete of colvit that 73 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 2: goes underneath the Bitchumin Road. It's probably fifteen or twenty 74 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: meters across. But that waterway flows into the Howard River, 75 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 2: so crops can have access from Shoal Bay into the 76 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 2: Howard River up through there. And at the other side 77 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,000 Speaker 2: of that you've got Colpinia Station as well, so there's 78 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: also very large crocodiles on that side too, So it's 79 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 2: an area where big crops are are and are being found. 80 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: And just so we've removed two already and there's potentially 81 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:38,119 Speaker 2: more there. 82 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 3: Wow. 83 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 1: Now excuse my ignorance, but where do you take them 84 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: when you capture them? 85 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 2: So the animals are removed and taken to a farm 86 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: that has the contract with us? 87 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, right, So I mean that's a good thing. 88 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 1: Obviously they're taken away and hopefully, you know, making things 89 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 1: a little bit safer. But like you poured it out, 90 00:03:57,880 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: you know throughout this interview. It doesn't mean that there's 91 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:03,280 Speaker 1: not others around, and it's really a warning for everybody 92 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: please be CROs wise. 93 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's exactly That's exactly the message we're trying to 94 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: get across, Katie. We just want everybody to be safe. 95 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 2: We don't want there to be any incidents. We want 96 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: everybody to go home to their families at the end 97 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: of the day. And we are seeing a lot of 98 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 2: behavior that people are entering the water, swimming in the 99 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 2: water and it's just not safe. So if we could 100 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: just you know, be careful, it makes our lives a 101 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 2: lot easier and hopefully everybody can go safe to their 102 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 2: families at the end of the day. 103 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's exactly right. 104 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: And Ian, I know some people have been thinking, gee, 105 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 1: how how can you not see a three and a 106 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 1: half meter salty in the water, But the. 107 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 3: Thing is they actually hide themselves pretty well. Also, that's right, Katie. 108 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,040 Speaker 2: I mean we've been down there to that location multiple 109 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,480 Speaker 2: times and conductive spotlight surveys to try and find these 110 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: offending crocodiles and we haven't even seen them on nighttime 111 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 2: surveys with spotlight and during the day. As you say, 112 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: they can be absolutely anywhere, hidden in the shadow pool 113 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 2: of water and you wouldn't even see them. So just 114 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: people saying that they can see the bottom of a 115 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 2: clear creek so that's safe, it's not. These animals can 116 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:04,400 Speaker 2: move around undetected very easily. 117 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: Goodness mate, Ian You've got one exciting job mate, you 118 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,840 Speaker 1: and the team that are on that Crocodile Management team. 119 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:14,680 Speaker 1: It'd keep you on your toes, that's for sure. Yeah. 120 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, busy time of year for us. Yeah, definitely a 121 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 2: good job. 122 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: Absolutely well. I really appreciate you having your chat with 123 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: us this morning. A wildlife ranger on the Crocodile Management Team, 124 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: Ian Hunt, thanks for your time. 125 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me on, Katie. Thank you.