NORTHERN TERRITORY NEWS (Australia) 25 August 03 Hot weather kills off 30 crocs (Rajiv Maharaj)
Crocodiles are being cooked alive in Kakadu National Park because of unusual weather patterns, it has been revealed.
Rangers have uncovered a ``mass grave'' of 30 crocodiles killed by heat.
``They literally cooked to death,'' park crocodile management officer Garry Lindner said yesterday.
``They would have tried to crawl into the mud, but it wasn't damp enough.
``It would have been a bloody horrible way to die _ just absolutely shocking.''
Park management released the pictures last night. Mr Lindner, who measured the rotting carcasses and documented the site, said he had never seen anything like it.
``This is unprecedented,'' he said. ``We got to the site about a week after they died, but it was clear what had happened _ the floodplains had dried out.
``There were carcasses all over the place and the smell was unbelievable.''
The dead animals were found at Mamukula Wetlands, about 29km from Jabiru. Most were juveniles, and ranged in size from 1.5m to 3m.
The deaths are believed to have occurred towards the end of November, when the floodplains dried before the onset of wet season rains.
Similar weather conditions this year could result in more crocodiles dying in the heat.
The pictures were taken two weeks after rains had started _ hence the floating carcasses.
``These crocs were young and stupid. The older ones would have made for a treeline about a kilometre away, but these ones stayed put and died a terrible death. The heat would have been extreme.
``They were caught out because there was less rain than usual the last wet season, and the floodplains didn't absorb as much moisture as they normally do,'' Mr Lindner said.
He said it was likely a large male would have cannibalised smaller crocodiles out of territorial concerns and sheer frustration from the heat.
``He probably chomped some of the smaller ones,'' Mr Lindner said. ``It wouldn't have been a pleasant last few days for any of them. The good thing about this, though, is that it points to a healthy croc population at the park.''
Kakadu National Park covers 19,000sq km and is 257km from Darwin. Mr Lindner estimated the park's crocodile population to be about 6000.
Hot weather kills off 30 crocs