Our resident daredevil, lastminute lovely Nihal, gets up close and personal with the creatures of the Top End.
Smack bang in the middle of Darwin city is the cage of death – naturally.
Let me elaborate. The friendly staff at Crocosaurus Cove put paying customers in a perspex cylinder and plunge them into water with one of the world’s most evolved predators – the Aussie Saltwater Crocodile.
I won’t turn this post into National Geographic, but let’s just say, these reptiles have been around since the dinosaur era, so they’ve learnt a thing or two about efficient hunting. And here I am posing as bait.
I’m slowly lowered into Houdini and Bess’ enclosure (aka Will and Kate). Houdini is a modest 670 kilograms and his girlfriend Bess is a petite 110 kilograms. Bess had a chunk taken out of her face by Houdini one day simply because she came into his territory when he was having dinner. So you can imagine how I feel in Houdini’s space whilst the keepers offered him some lunch. Nevertheless I tread water and trust the experienced keepers.
I stare this amazing creature right in the yellow beady eyes. Houdini is curious. I can hear his breathing as he circles my cage again and again. I’m re-assured that I’m safe, but I’m afraid he will hit the cage with a swift movement of his enormous tail or head.
I’m lucky to experience this as the wet season approaches because the keepers feed the crocs while people are in the cages this time of year. The meat is dangled right near the cage and I have front row seats to the immense snap that ensues. The sound resonates in my heart and every nerve ending in my body.
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It truly is a one-of-a-kind experience being so close to these terrifying creatures in a safe space. And to answer your question, no there haven’t been any emergencies.
If papa crocs aren’t your thing, you can spend some time with these cuddly bubs.
Check out my spine tingling video, or read up on my adventures in Darwin here.