Tuesday 23 August 2011

Wet blamed for fewer crocodile hatchlings - abc.net.au

23 August 2011

Wildlife experts say the record wet season has affected the crocodile hatchling population in the Top End.

Graham Webb from Crocodylus Park in Darwin says normally about 70 per cent of nests in the Northern Territory are flooded each wet season but probably all of them were lost this year.

He says high water levels at Adelaide River, south of Darwin, also stopped female crocodiles from nesting.

"Females that were due to nest just didn't nest because there was nowhere for them to do so," he said.

"So this year the numbers of hatchlings will be down.

"But because they take about 15 years to reach maturity, you won't even see the effect."


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