AVA Conference Brisbane 2018

The estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) is the largest living reptile in the world. Estuarine crocodiles range across northern Australia from south of Broome in WA, across the northern coastline and as far south as Rockhampton in Queensland, including estuaries and river systems throughout its range, often extending several hundred kilometres inland. They occur extra limitally through PNG and Indo-China. They were hunted extensively for their skins from 1940s to 1970s when they were protected across all three states. C. porosus skins are the most highly valued crocodilian skins in the fashion trade. Since farming practices commenced, the wild populations have started to recover, bringing the animals into conflict with livestock producers, locals and tourists. Intensive farming, ranching and wild harvesting are practiced in Australia. The relative merits and conservation impacts of each method are discussed. The concept of a universal approach to sustainable crocodile management practices is proposed.