Going Soft on Crocodile Crime...

When Saltwater crocodiles killed a human on Australia's northeast coast in the old days, a posse of gun-toting locals would converge on the area, blast all crocs to death, slit open their bellies to establish guilt, and release the unfortunate victim's remains for a decent burial. But in these environmentally enlightened times, authorities are taking a very different approach — and not everybody is happy about it. Inhabiting the tidal estuaries around Australia's northern coast, the crocs, or salties, as they're known locally, grow to more than 17 feet and can weigh more than a ton. They lurk near river crossings, where they lie motionless, half-submerged in muddy shallows, then explode out of the water to seize an animal as large as a horse or cow, drag it underwater, and roll with it until it drowns.

Such behavior was little tolerated by the region's early settlers, who would cheerfully shoot the reptiles on sight — all the more eagerly once the market for their skins began to grow. But in 1971, amid fears for the species' survival, hunting crocodiles was outlawed. Croc numbers have since recovered, but whenever a human dies in an attack — about once a year in Australia — a row erupts over whether protecting such a deadly predator is justified. Last month the debate was reopened when Arthur Booker, 62, wandered down to retrieve his crab pots on the mangrove-lined banks of the Endeavour River, near Cooktown, in the northeastern state of Queensland. Lying in wait was a large crocodile, which is thought to have dragged the Scottish-born camper into the water and eaten him, leaving only his sandals, watch and video camera beside a huge belly-slide mark. The state government quickly dispatched two dozen wildlife rangers to collect any aggressive crocodiles in the area and search for Booker's remains.

Within days, traps anchored to the banks of the river snared three potential man-eaters. But instead of executing and disemboweling the reptiles, the rangers gently loaded them into trailers and transported them to Cairns, 160 miles to the south, where they were X-rayed. Two were also given an endoscopy, with a tiny camera passed into their stomach to probe for Booker's remains. Queensland's chief wildlife manager, Mike Devery, defended the costly operation, saying the animals were listed as vulnerable under the state's Nature Conservation Act, which labels crocodiles over 13 feet long as "iconic." But the kid-glove treatment outraged many locals, including Federal Parliamentarian Bob Katter, a cowboy-hatted, blunt-spoken sheep farmer whose 218,000 square-mile electoral district is home to thousands of wild crocodiles.

Katter accused the government of making human sacrifices to a crocodile god, saying, "The only time I'd like to see that croc is through the sights of my rifle." Once, if a crocodile ate a human, all crocodiles in the area would be shot immediately, he says. "Now they are getting X rays. You've got patients who can't get X rays or endoscopies in Queensland's hospitals, but a crocodile can get one."

Arguing that crocodile numbers are booming, Katter has called for a cull. Forensic scientists are testing suspected human remains found in one of the thee crocodiles captured after Booker's disappearance, a three-legged, 14-foot brute. Culprit or not, its life will be spared. To the dismay of Katter and other nostalgic northerners, its next role will be as a stud on a crocodile farm rather than a range of handbags and shoes. [End of report]

I have said many times before that I am a huge animal lover and I still stand by my views about them despite the circumstances the Australian government is facing. Crocodiles are one of my favourite animal, I just love their awesome strength and their beauty - killing humans and eating the humans are not some of the things that I like about them though, but you have to understand, it is part of their nature and how they live. If they happen to eat someone up, and Im not just talking about the crocodiles, but other man-eater animals as well, you really cant blame them. There is only one thing in their mind when they see us, and that is food to them. You cant expect them to think that they shouldn't eat us because they cant think what is right or what is wrong. Therefore, I have to say that I am strongly against any call for culling the crocodiles because it is a wrong thing to do even though the numbers are booming and might pose a threat to the human population. I always feel very sad when I hear calls or government plans to cull animal species because they are increasing in number and it might be harmful to the people or the environment. I dont think you can stop the number from increasing though because animals, like us are able to reproduce so I dont think it is right to use it as an excuse to cull them. They could probably be placed in a designated location or something away from the human population.

I just want to say that what the Australian government did was great. Instead of killing the crocodiles at random, the crocodiles are now being put through the X-ray machine, to see if it had eaten anyone, and then be placed in a crocodile farm instead, where it will be safe and sound from anyone who might want to take revenge on them, not that they could if they want to as crocodiles hunting was outlawed since 1971. Im not sure if the practise of putting the crocodiles through the X-ray machine is only done in Queensland only, but according to state officials, they said that the operation was necessary as the animals were listed as vulnerable under the state's Nature Conservation Act. Im just wondering if they will continue to do the same thing once the animals are no longer listed in the Act. I hope they will though because it would be wrong for them to go back to the old days and kill the crocodiles randomly in search to find the remains of the victim. I mean what chances do you have to find that one crocodile when there could be hundreds of them in the rivers and seas. Dont tell me you will kill of them until you find the right one? That would be foolish. Furthermore, it is not as if the problem is widespread. I dont know what the statistics are exactly for crocodile related incident there, but according to the report, such incident of someone being kill in an attack is about once a year in Australia.

Therefore, judging from what I have seen, I dont think killing the crocodiles is fully justified. I think us humans should be on our guards as well. I dont think we have any crocodiles here in our seas or rivers, so we should not have much to worry about, but its a different story all together for the Australians. I dont think it is right that other crocodiles have to take the blame or in this case, take the shot for the actions from just one of them. For all they know, it might not be the crocodiles that could have eaten the guy. It is important that they dont jump to conclusions too quickly and that is why I think it is great to see such action by the Queensland authorities.

*The report was taken by TIME.