Day 4 - Never Smile at a Crocodile

Just a Half Day excursion Today.

This time a visit to Windows on the Wetlands Visitor Centre as well as Fogg Dam Nature reserve.

But we were really only interested in having a relaxing boat trip up the Adelaide River.

The Birds that make the trees on the River bank their home were beautiful and put on quite the show for us with their aerial acrobatics.

We were of course given the standard Pre-launch Safety talk.
Nice to be shown where the Life Jackets were.

Not that they would be much use to us should the boat sink

Because we had come to see...
These Beautiful Creatures!

And apparently (according to our guide) Australian Saltwater Crocodiles just LOVE the colour Orange!

The Adelaide River is home to some 1600 Saltwater Crocodiles who naturally launch themselves out of the water to catch passing birds or other creatures from low lying tree branches.

And the occasional treat of Buffalo Bones from the tour operators who are very careful to not overfeed them so they still have to hunt.

The tour operators are passionate about "their Crocs" - they know their regulars by name and are committed to their conservation.
In Australia, it is illegal to kill a wild Crocodile - any that are trapped (for 'not playing nice with others') are taken to Crocodile farms for breeding.

Once the 'show' was over they turned the boat and beat a hasty retreat to the safety of the shore -

all the while keeping a careful eye on the banks as 'our friends' here are certainly NOT smiling for the Camera!