Renowned crocodile conservationist Bob Irwin is urging immediate action to close a legal loophole that enables social media users to recklessly enter crocodile habitats in search of content.
Irwin is concerned that these incidents are not only dangerous to those involved but also put the crocodiles at risk, with healthy crocodiles potentially being culled if they are deemed to be problem crocs following an attack.
Mr Irwin has engaged the Environmental Defenders Office to draw up amendments to the Nature Conservation Act 1992 to address this issue. The proposed changes come in response to a spate of incidents in which people are increasingly seeking out croc-infested waters to make online content.
The incidents that prompted Mr Irwin to take action include a Far North Queensland fishing Instagrammer who filmed himself jumping into the Tully River in January, and a man who was bitten and lost his dog at Bloomfield River in February.
In both cases, the men recorded themselves and posted the footage on social media.
Mr Irwin is asking for the following changes to address a “ gap in regulatory power”.
– Creation of an offence for recklessly using crocodile habitat;
– Providing the Chief Executive the power to map crocodile habitat;
– Provide aggravated or increased penalty for an offence under regulation 334 for
disturbing a crocodile; and
– Provide aggravated offence with an increased penalty forrecklessly using a crocodile
habitat and or disturbing a crocodile for the purposes of social media publication
The Bloomfield River incident resulted in the culling of two crocodiles by government authorities, which has caused distress among Traditional Owners for whom the crocodile is a totemic animal.
Irwin, a veteran croc conservationist, has been advocating for changes to the law for some time. He hopes that by closing the legal loophole, the government can discourage people from entering croc habitats and prevent further incidents that endanger both humans and crocodiles.
“The most obvious point we seem to overlook in these incidents is that this is not actually a crocodile management issue at all,” he explained.
“Things will only change when the authorities start to look at this for what it really is – a human management issue.
“Because let’s be really matter of fact here – a crocodile has never once eaten anybody out of their bedroom.”
Wildlife officers from Cairns carried out a spotlighting survey of the Bloomfield River the night following the attack and found the crocodile about 200 metres from the incident.
The beast, estimated to be at least 40 years old, was euthanised and removed from the waterway.
Aunty Kathleen, a spokesperson for the local Wujal Wujal community, feared the incident would cast the area in a bad light.
“It doesn’t paint a good picture for our area now,” she said.
“We don’t want that. We want people to come and visit our beautiful area, but also not to do silly things like that fella did.
“For us, we respect animals, our wildlife. Some of this wildlife is our totem,” she said.
Aunty Kathleen described the intricacy of Aboriginal Lore and what the crocodile’s death meant for Bama (Aboriginal people).
“Now that we have lost one crocodile that has been hunted and buried, we have one less croc in the river,” she explained.
“That has changed the dynamic of the entire environment for our people.
“This is an Aboriginal community, this is our land, and we have respect for the danger a crocodile has.
“We live with dangerous animals like crocs and snakes. But we respect every creature on this land. We don’t swim in the water.”
The man involved in the incident Alister MacPhee, 37, spoke to the media after his ill-fated venture into croc-infested waters— saying he learned his lesson about croc safety.
“I have, unfortunately, learned the hard way,” he said. “Everyone needs to be croc-wise in croc territory.”
Mr MacPhee earned a rebuked from wildlife officials, after they successfully captured and euthanised the 4.2-metre monster they believe was responsible for the attack.
“Warning signs are not there as decoration and swimming in Croc Country is a choice,” said Michael Joyce, manager of Northern Wildlife Operations at the Queensland Department of Environment.
Footage of the incident shows Mr MacPhee entered the knee-deep water with his dog close by when he was attacked by the croc without warning.
The environment department said the decision to kill the crocodile was “unfortunately unavoidable” due to “public safety”.
“It’s important for communities in Croc Country to feel safe and for problem crocodiles to be dealt with appropriately,” he said.