Tragically, Europe has no natural crocodiles, outside of zoos at least – not because of primordial hunters but because the cooling planet caused a reptilian retreat to warmer climes, say scientists, following a massive review of data of climatic history and the entire known fossil record of crocodilians.
Antarctica and Europe are the only continents without native species of crocodile.
However, Dr Angela Julian, co-ordinator at Amphibian and Reptile Groups UK, said: “Crocodiles are a tropical/sub tropical species, not native to Europe, and are extremely unlikely to be swimming in the North Sea, particularly in the cold of late september.”
A large proportion of the coastal region of the Northern Territory is an ideal habitat for saltwater crocodiles, particularly the big, productive “coastal” wetlands and rivers. Much of the Queensland coastline is in the cooler, more southerly latitudes, which is less optimal habitat for crocodiles.
But there are no native or wild species of crocs in the UK.
Rest assured there are no snakes or crocodiles. We do have one poisonous spider (the Katipo) - sightings of which are about as common as that of the Yeti. The most dangerous creature you are likely to encounter is a grumpy possum.
"Today what we see is crocodiles restricted to northern Australia and the coast because the inland of Australia doesn't have much or any permanent water, so crocs that used to inhabit parts of the Murray-Darling Basin or the Lake Eyre basin couldn't persist there anymore because the water is so intermittent," Dr ...
"Optimal climate conditions (such as in some places in Australia) with few cold periods make it easier for the crocs to grow larger," Groh said.
The saltwater crocodile population in Australia is estimated at 100,000 to 200,000 adults. Its range extends from Broome, Western Australia through the entire Northern Territory coast all the way south to Rockhampton, Queensland.
There are thought to be around 200,000 Saltwater Crocodiles in Australia, with the most found in the areas surrounding Darwin and the Mary River. Over the years, they have been hunted for their skins and have almost been brought to extinction on a number of occasions.
Alligators in Kakadu
They can live in either fresh or saltwater and are found across much of the top coast of Australia.
But how quickly can they run? Most crocodiles can achieve speeds of around 12 to 14 kph for short periods, which is somewhat slower than a fit human can run. Don't believe the hype - if you're reasonably fit, you can definitely outrun a crocodile!
While only 50 or so people reside on the island itself, you can find a much bigger population nearby, a mere two miles away: Europe's biggest population of alligators. Alligator Bay is home to 150 crocodiles and alligators, including albino alligators, plus a whole panoply of other reptiles.
N.B. Exceptionally large specimens can be found in all species of crocodilian. Chinese alligators, also known as Yangtze alligators, live in just a small part of northeastern China.
Crocodiles are large reptiles that habitat the tropics of the Americas, Australia, Africa and Asia. Europe is the only continent that they don't natively live in.
Crocodiles are not native to Germany or any other part of Europe.
What is this? Crocodiles have been known to be as far south as the Mary River in Gympie. This is only about 167km from Brisbane and only 52km from the Great Sandy National Park. More astonishingly, this is a whopping 449km away from the northern points of Queensland where they are typically found.
"Crocodiles do not occur in Tasmania naturally and the only logical explanation I can see is that people could have had crocodiles in their private dwellings then released them into the wild as they got bigger," Mr Norton said.
These frightening and fascinating animals live in the Northern part of Australia in a warm and tropical climate. You can find crocs along the north coast between Broome (Western Australia) and Rockhampton (QLD) and up to 200km inland.
The biggest croc ever found, at 8.6m (28ft). Shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia in 1957. Wendy Richards and 5,597 others like this. Lenny Whisenant, did I show you this crock mate ?
Saltwater crocodiles live in rivers and freshwater swamps across the north of Australia — northern Western Australia and Queensland and all of the Northern Territory. They like to travel and can be found up to 100km inland and sometimes visit beaches in these areas. How to Avoid Them?
Croc country (considered to be typical crocodile habitat) begins at the Boyne River south of Gladstone, and extends northward, up the east coast and across Far North Queensland.
Estuarine crocodiles mostly occur in tidal rivers, coastal floodplains and channels, billabongs and swamps up to 150 km inland from the coast. The estuarine crocodile usually inhabits the lower reaches of rivers, while the upper reaches are inhabited by the freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni).
Saltwater crocodiles are typically found in the murky waterways, rivers, lakes, and swamps in the Northern region of Australia. However, on occasion, they can be found in the ocean region, with the beaches and islands in the Great Barrier Reef known to have an occasional croc sighting.