World ARC - Crocodiles in Darwin!
by World Cruising Club 7 Sep 2019 15:12 PDT
2019-20 World ARC © World Cruising
The World ARC crews got up close and personal with some huge saltwater crocodiles yesterday, on a morning tour up the nearby Adelaide River. They got to see famous local crocs 'Brutus' and 'The Dominator' from only a metre or so away as the experienced guide fed them from the tour boat.
Brutus is thought to be nearly 90 years old, and has now lost many of his incredibly large and sharp teeth. He has dominated this part of the river for many years, keeping the younger male crocs in check.
Saltwater crocodiles are considered to be one of the most dangerous creatures in the world, and amazingly have hardly changed as a species since the times when dinosaurs roamed the planet. Male 'salties' can grow up to six metres in length and can weigh up to 1,000kg. They have the strongest bite of any creature in the animal kingdom - by far! They typically have a closing force of around 55 tonnes of power, which is twice the power of the famous dinosaur Tyrannosaurus Rex!