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Saltwater Crocodile

Crocodylus porosus

One of our favorite vacation spots is Yellowstone National Park. The geologic features are of course wonderful, but for me it's always the wildlife that's the attraction. And the hiking is spectacular as well, and a wonderful way to get away from the crowds that are often found along the main roads. However, when hiking there, you always feel just a touch of...intimidation. You know that there are critters around that are MUCH more powerful than you, and that you're in their domain. You thus show them a healthy respect, try to avoid them if possible, and carry means of deterring them as well.

Take that same feeling, and notch up about 100 levels, and that's the feeling I got when we were anywhere near the water when visiting Queensland, Australia in May/June of 2019. Not only are there creatures there that are much more powerful than you, there are creatures that would gladly EAT you if they got a chance. All the warning signs near waterways of the potential presence of Saltwater Crocodiles certainly reinforce that paranoia when you're in the area.

VERY cool critters though, and so glad we got the chance to see some while there. That included one river cruise near Port Douglas where we specifically were looking for them. It was the Australian winter when we were there, and on top of that it was unseasonably "cold" for the week we were up around Port Douglas. "Cold" meant highs of 75, but that's cool for them, and as a result, most crocodiles weren't very active. Regardless, we did get a chance to see multiple crocodiles...all from a safe distance! And when shooting Saltwater Crocodiles, it helps to have a very long birding lens! :-)

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