Mr MITCHELL - 1999-02-24
There is no doubt that since the early 1970s the saltwater crocodile numbers have increased dramatically and quite noticeably. Can the minister tell us if this expected to continue in the future?
ANSWER
Well it is an interesting question ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: She has problems with her mouth again. Every time she thinks, the mouth opens and out comes some more nonsensical mutterings. But we can overlook the mutterings of the Leader of the Opposition and give the honourable member for Millner the respect that he deserves in asking his question and getting an answer to it. Listeners might be a little bit interested to hear the answer, even if the Leader of the Opposition isn’t.
I will share some details with all but the Leader of the Opposition, if she isn’t interested. The honourable member for Millner would be interested to know that crocodile numbers have increased, as he inferred, since 1971 when saltwater crocodiles were declared a protected species. Hunting at that time was banned and there was a bit of interest in the fact that it would appear that NT crocodile populations have seemed to have reached a plateau. Bearing in mind that they were threatened with extinction in 1971, when the protected species declaration was made before the banning of hunting, monitoring since then has shown that the population recovered quickly and may now be stabilising.
For the 12-year period from 1975 to 1987 the density of crocodiles in the Northern Territory’s waterways almost tripled with an increase from 20 crocodiles seen for each 100km of river surveyed to 58. In the ensuing 11-year period from 1988 to 1998 the density increased by 10% from 60 to 66 crocodiles per 100km surveyed. That indicates the population appears to be levelling off in the 1990s because the rate of increase is not as great as it was in the 1980s.
Those people who regularly visit our waterways, some of the members opposite may even do that from time to time, particularly from the point of view of fishing, would have noticed, and you hear regularly the comments, the number of crocodiles that now abound, and would be interested to find that the numbers may well in fact be plateauing. We can therefore expect that the total estimated population of 60 000 - 70 000 crocodiles …
Mr Coulter: I still wouldn’t swim in the Adelaide River if I were you.
Mr REED: …in the Northern Territory now will not vary greatly in the future.
The point that the member for Blain just made by way of interjection, that its not a good idea to go swimming in many of our river systems, is a very valid one. The population numbers have recovered since the declaration of protected species in the early 1970s. The numbers are now very high, but it would appear that they may not substantially increase over and above the numbers existing currently.
The maintenance of numbers is evident in that the NT is achieving the aim of its crocodile management program. From the point of view of the world recognition that that program has achieved, it is something the Parks and Wildlife Commission and related operatives can be very happy with. We are managing our populations since the 1986 program with the aim of achieving the delicate balance between maintaining the wild populations and, of course, supporting the commercial crocodile farming industry.
We should, perhaps, be heartened by the fact that the plateau of crocodile populations is occurring. It will be interesting to see what ongoing monitoring presents to us in the future. But certainly, comparing the 1990s figures with the 1980s figures, that seems to be the case and the high rate of increase in population numbers seems to be reducing, and we will see a stabilisation of the crocodile population which, in conservation terms, is very good. I think it underpins the success of our management program, underscores the professionalism and expertise of the Parks and Wildlife Commission, and the capacity to manage our native flora and fauna in a way that is both recognised internationally and to the benefit of the overall environment.
ANSWER
Well it is an interesting question ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: She has problems with her mouth again. Every time she thinks, the mouth opens and out comes some more nonsensical mutterings. But we can overlook the mutterings of the Leader of the Opposition and give the honourable member for Millner the respect that he deserves in asking his question and getting an answer to it. Listeners might be a little bit interested to hear the answer, even if the Leader of the Opposition isn’t.
I will share some details with all but the Leader of the Opposition, if she isn’t interested. The honourable member for Millner would be interested to know that crocodile numbers have increased, as he inferred, since 1971 when saltwater crocodiles were declared a protected species. Hunting at that time was banned and there was a bit of interest in the fact that it would appear that NT crocodile populations have seemed to have reached a plateau. Bearing in mind that they were threatened with extinction in 1971, when the protected species declaration was made before the banning of hunting, monitoring since then has shown that the population recovered quickly and may now be stabilising.
For the 12-year period from 1975 to 1987 the density of crocodiles in the Northern Territory’s waterways almost tripled with an increase from 20 crocodiles seen for each 100km of river surveyed to 58. In the ensuing 11-year period from 1988 to 1998 the density increased by 10% from 60 to 66 crocodiles per 100km surveyed. That indicates the population appears to be levelling off in the 1990s because the rate of increase is not as great as it was in the 1980s.
Those people who regularly visit our waterways, some of the members opposite may even do that from time to time, particularly from the point of view of fishing, would have noticed, and you hear regularly the comments, the number of crocodiles that now abound, and would be interested to find that the numbers may well in fact be plateauing. We can therefore expect that the total estimated population of 60 000 - 70 000 crocodiles …
Mr Coulter: I still wouldn’t swim in the Adelaide River if I were you.
Mr REED: …in the Northern Territory now will not vary greatly in the future.
The point that the member for Blain just made by way of interjection, that its not a good idea to go swimming in many of our river systems, is a very valid one. The population numbers have recovered since the declaration of protected species in the early 1970s. The numbers are now very high, but it would appear that they may not substantially increase over and above the numbers existing currently.
The maintenance of numbers is evident in that the NT is achieving the aim of its crocodile management program. From the point of view of the world recognition that that program has achieved, it is something the Parks and Wildlife Commission and related operatives can be very happy with. We are managing our populations since the 1986 program with the aim of achieving the delicate balance between maintaining the wild populations and, of course, supporting the commercial crocodile farming industry.
We should, perhaps, be heartened by the fact that the plateau of crocodile populations is occurring. It will be interesting to see what ongoing monitoring presents to us in the future. But certainly, comparing the 1990s figures with the 1980s figures, that seems to be the case and the high rate of increase in population numbers seems to be reducing, and we will see a stabilisation of the crocodile population which, in conservation terms, is very good. I think it underpins the success of our management program, underscores the professionalism and expertise of the Parks and Wildlife Commission, and the capacity to manage our native flora and fauna in a way that is both recognised internationally and to the benefit of the overall environment.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016