(A) The map of Australia exposes the area of NT where rivers have been surveyed since 1971. (B) The image of two adults NT crocodilsporosus (photo courtesy of Tihallia Casey). Credit: Action of Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2025). Doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2260
A team of marine biologists, environmental researchers and land management experts associated with several institutes in Australia working with a Canadian colleague has studied the ecological impact of a huge increase in the population of saltwater crocodiles in the northern regions of Australia.
In their paper Published In the journal Action of Royal Society B: Biological SciencesThe group describes what they have learned about crocke size, dietary changes and rapid growth in nutrients that they emit in the water system.
Twenty -four years ago, the Australian government banned hunting of saltwater crocodiles in its northern regions. Since that time, the population of Crocs has increased from around 1,000 to about 100,000. The research team thought of the ecological effects of such rapid changes, and more especially, if it was possible to determine the changes that were done.
The team included two major studies in the work. An analysis of a data involves analyzed by various researchers in the previous half century and then used to conduct bioenegatic modeling of the crocke size and population. Then they used models to guess the consumption rates of various foods, the crocodiles have been consumed and what they were doing, and how much.
Other studies include analysis of the bones recovered in the region in the years 1970 to 2022 years. Of these, the team was able to learn more about what Crocks were eating and how much by measuring carbon and nitrogen isotopes.
Researchers found that the size of Crocs is slightly increasing and the increase in population has increased the total biomass to 400 kg per kilometer of river area. He also found that the food he ate as a group increased almost nine times. Additionally, the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen increased by 56 and 186-toll–most of which went into water.
Researchers also found that Crokes had begun to eat more terrestrial animals – at the beginning of the study period, 65% of hunting came from water. By 2019, about 70% of the hunting land-based animals such as wild boar, buffalo and sometimes wallbase were.
The team suggested the main takeaairs from its study concluding that the crocus population growth has caused a huge amount of material emitted in water and there has been a huge decrease in wild boar and buffalo population in the region.
More information:
Mariana A. Campbell et al, volume of ecological roles of crocodiles: 50 years review of metabolic requirements and nutrients in northern Australia, Action of Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2025). Doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2260
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Citation: How the fast growing population of Crocs is affecting the ecosystem of the northern regions of Australia (2025, March 14)
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