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Management Programfor the Saltwater Crocodilein the Northern Territory of Australia, 2014-2015

Photograph: Tourism NT

Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory of Australia, 2014-2015

Flora and Fauna DivisionDepartment of Land Resource ManagementPO Box 496Palmerston NT 0831

© Northern Territory of AustraliaFirst Published 2009Revised Draft for public comment June 2012

This work is copyright. It may be reproduced for study, research or training purposes subject to an acknowledgment of the sources and no commercial usage or sale. Requests and enquires concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Chief Executive, Department of Land Resource Management, PO Box 496, Palmerston NT 0831, Australia.

CitationSaalfeld, W.K., Delaney, R., Fukuda, Y. and Fisher, A.J. (2014). Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory of Australia, 2014 - 2015. Northern Territory Department of Land Resource Management, Darwin.

A management program prepared under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act.

Program Approval

The Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory of Australia, 2014-2015

Approved by the Minister for Environment as an Approved Wildlife Trade Management Plan under Subsection 303FO(3) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 on 25 March 2014.

Approval of this program is valid until 31 December 2015.

Condition 1

The annual report referred to in Action 4.9 of the Plan must be submitted to the Department of the Environment by 31 October each year. The annual report must cover the previous financial year 1 July to 30 June.

Condition 2Safari hunting of crocodiles in the Northern Territory is not permitted.

Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory iii

ContentsDefinitions and Acronyms ...................................................................................................... 1

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 31.1 Aims and Objectives ................................................................................................ 51.2 Species.................................................................................................................... 51.3 Responsible authority .............................................................................................. 51.4 Legislative, national and international obligations .................................................... 5

1.4.1 Northern Territory ......................................................................................... 51.4.2 Commonwealth Government ........................................................................ 71.4.3 International ................................................................................................. 7

2. Management context ....................................................................................................... 92.1 Socio-economic values ............................................................................................ 9

2.1.1 Cultural values ............................................................................................. 92.1.2 Economic ..................................................................................................... 9

2.2 Population estimates and trends .............................................................................112.3 Saltwater crocodile habitat ......................................................................................12

2.3.1 Protected areas ...........................................................................................122.3.2 Significant wetlands outside reserves ..........................................................14

2.4 Problem saltwater crocodiles ..................................................................................142.5 History of use..........................................................................................................15

2.5.1 Indigenous harvest and use ........................................................................152.5.2 Commercial harvesting and use ..................................................................15

3. Threats and impacts .......................................................................................................153.1 Natural predators ....................................................................................................163.2 Drought, flood and climate change .........................................................................163.3 Habitat loss and modification ..................................................................................163.4 Entanglement in fishing nets ...................................................................................173.5 Disease ..................................................................................................................173.6 Harvesting – general...............................................................................................17

3.6.1 Harvesting – genetic....................................................................................173.6.2 Harvesting - impacts on other species, habitats and ecosystems ................17

4. Management practices and performance measures ......................................................18Objective 1 - To facilitate the sustainable use of Saltwater Crocodiles............................18

4.1 Commercial harvest and use ..................................................................................184.2 Permits and compliance..........................................................................................224.3 Management-focused research ..............................................................................26

Objective 2 - To promote community awareness and public safety.................................274.4 Risk assessment.......................................................................................................274.5 Removal of problem crocodiles...............................................................................284.6 Community awareness and participation ................................................................35

Objective 3 - To ensure humane treatment of Saltwater Crocodiles................................364.7 Animal welfare ........................................................................................................36

Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory iv

Objective 4 - To monitor and report on the impact of the harvest ofSaltwater Crocodiles……………………………………………………………………………36

4.8 Monitoring...............................................................................................................364.9 Reporting ................................................................................................................39

5. References .............................................................................................................40

Appendix 1: Saltwater Crocodile Background Information ..............................................44

Appendix 2: Farm Management ......................................................................................48

Appendix 3: Saltwater Crocodile Densities In The Rivers Monitored In The NorthernTerritory.......................................................................................................51

Appendix 4: Annual Milestone Matrix for 2014-2015 Program.........................................58

Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory 1

Definitions and AcronymsAdults

Animals greater than 7 feet (approx. 2.1 metres) total length are classed as adults. This is a defined size class for the purpose of this Management Program and does not equate to sexual maturity.

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

Crocodile Products and By-products

Includes all parts from a crocodile except for skins as defined below.

Crocodile Skins

Includes raw or tanned belly skins (cut along the back), hornbacks (cut along the belly) and whole skins.

DLRM

The Department of Land Resource Management

DoE

The Department of the Environment

DPIF

The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries

Egg Harvest

The physical removal of an egg from its natural location in the wild and transportation to another location.

Eggs

Unless otherwise stipulated includes all eggs regardless of whether it is fertile or infertile, with a live or dead embryo.

Eggs - dead

Eggs that are infertile or contain a dead embryo and/or discarded before placement in an incubator.

Eggs - live

For the purposes of this Management Program these are eggs initially placed into an incubator.

Eggs - viable

Eggs that produce a normal hatchling surviving at least one day outside the egg.


EPBC Act

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Commonwealth legislation.

Harvest Ceiling

The Northern Territory’s annual maximum allowable number of individuals that can be harvested in each of the defined life stages.

Hatchling

Animals classed as hatchlings are ‘Young-of-the-year’ and typically less than 2 feet (approx.0.6 metres) total length.

Juvenile

Animals classed as juveniles are between 2 and 7 feet (approx. 0.6 – 2.1 metres) total length.

PWC

Parks and Wildlife Commission.

Ranching

As used in the context of CITES, it is the rearing in a controlled environment of specimens taken from the wild.

Regional Catchment

Catchment(s) as defined in Australian Surface Water Management Area (2000) that are grouped for monitoring the crocodile harvest in the Northern Territory.

Total Length

Animal length measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail.

TPWC Act

Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act. Northern Territory legislation.


1. Introduction

Saltwater Crocodiles are and always have been serious predators. Co-existing with crocodiles does present challenges to the Territory community. On the other hand, crocodiles also provide significant opportunities. They are a valuable resource to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in northern Australia.

A lucrative and uncontrolled trade in saltwater crocodile skins between 1945 and 1971 stimulated intensive hunting that depleted the wild populations to the point of extinction. It was unclear whether the remaining crocodile population had the capacity to recover when full protection of the species was introduced in 1971.

By 1979/80, when the population had increased from an estimated base of 5,000 to around30,000 (Webb et al 1984), a series of fatal and non-fatal attacks occurred in 12 months, along with an increase in other incidents such as attacks on fishing boats. These negative interactions with people threatened the conservation program, which was aimed at rebuilding the wild population back to carrying capacity. Some people opposed any further expansion of crocodile numbers and widespread culling was actively promoted.

In the early 1980s the Northern Territory Government implemented an “incentive-driven conservation” strategy, to inform the public of the environmental and economic benefits of crocodile conservation. Positive incentives were created through commercial activity (tourism, crocodile farming and ranching) and negative incentives countered by an active ‘Problem Crocodile’ control program. In such an “incentive-driven conservation program”, there are two fundamental approaches. The first is to ensure that conservation objectives are being met, and the second is to ensure the incentives for conservation are maintained. It is not a case of‘conservation versus development’ but rather both benefiting from successful conservation.

Ranching of eggs (the commercial collection of eggs from the wild and raising into hatchlings) was considered to be the safest strategy for sustainable use to reward landowners for tolerating crocodiles. This is because the egg stage is an abundant and naturally vulnerable part of the life cycle. Furthermore, it resulted in nesting habitat on private lands becoming a commercial asset worth protecting.

In 1985 Australia was successful in having its population of Saltwater Crocodiles transferred from Appendix I to Appendix II of Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) specifically for ranching so that farms could export the skins produced from the harvested eggs they bought from landowners. In 1987, the first NT crocodile management program was approved by the Commonwealth and skins derived from the ranching program began to be exported. In 1994, Australia obtained an unrestricted AppendixII CITES listing to allow landowners with crocodiles, but no nesting habitat, to also receive commercial benefits from crocodiles through a wild harvest.

The Northern Territory Government has fostered the crocodile farming industry and in recent years the NT industry has significantly invested in crocodile farming infrastructure to increase their capacity. The resultant increased competition for eggs has increased prices for landowners, including for Aboriginal people in remote areas where opportunities for economic development are sometimes limited. Skin exports are rising and are predicted to rise sharply in future years.

This incentive-driven wildlife program has been a major conservation success story that is seldom played out with large and dangerous predators anywhere in the world. Saltwater Crocodiles are no longer a threatened species in the NT and have recovered such that they


are now abundant. Saltwater Crocodiles are viewed as a valuable commercial resource, generating wealth and employment which promotes their conservation. The continuation of a viable and economic crocodile farming industry is recognised as the key economic driver for this Management Program. The tourism value of crocodiles both in the wild and in captivity also generates economic activity around the presence of crocodiles in the landscape. The economic value of the crocodile egg harvest is also resulting in environmental gains through improved management practices for weeds, feral animals and fire by landowners to favour crocodile nesting habitat. The Management Program through incentive driven conservation, explicitly encourages management practices that favour the Saltwater Crocodile and protects wetland habitats beyond the boundaries of parks and reserves.

Through this Management Program and other strategies, the Northern Territory Government will continue to assist industry to maximise the investment, commercial activity and employment generated through crocodiles so that the industry maintains its role as a well recognised and supported part of the NT economy. The farming industry vision is for the Northern Territory to grow as a world leader in the reliable production of the highest quality Saltwater Crocodile skins.

Actions that favour retaining a high abundance of a dangerous predator such as Saltwater Crocodiles bring a heightened responsibility for public awareness and education. The changing circumstances that drove the need for the revised Management Program include:

i) An increase in the number of landowners wanting to participate in the crocodile industry;

ii) An increasing crocodile population;

iii) An expansion of farming capacity;

iv) A recognition that previous harvest levels have not been detrimental to the species;

v) An increase in the negative interactions between crocodiles and people; and

vi) An increasing need for public awareness about crocodiles.

This Management Program addresses the balance that is required between conservation goals, sustainable harvest, growing industry, and maintaining public safety. It focuses on mechanisms to improve public awareness and safety, on population dynamics, harvest limits and monitoring the impact of the harvest on population trends.


1.1 Aims and Objectives

The aim of this management program is:

To ensure the long-term conservation of the Saltwater Crocodile and its habitats in theNorthern Territory.

The program has four principal objectives:

1. To facilitate the sustainable use of Saltwater Crocodiles;

2. To promote community awareness and public safety;

3. To ensure the humane treatment of Saltwater Crocodiles; and

4. To monitor and report on the impact of the harvest of Saltwater Crocodiles.

1.2 Species

The Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus Schneider) is one of two species of crocodile found in Australia; the other being the smaller Freshwater Crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni). Subspecies or races have not been described. Further details on the status and ecology of the Saltwater Crocodile are provided in Appendix 1.

1.3 Responsible authority

The Northern Territory Government through the Department of Land Resource Management (DLRM) and the Parks and Wildlife Commission (PWC) jointly manage wildlife in the Northern Territory pursuant to the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation (TWPC) Act. The control of all aspects of the harvest from the wild in the Northern Territory is administered under this legislation. Once animals are contained in a farm, the Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries (DPIF) has the administrative role for crocodile farming. These responsibilities are outlined in Appendix 2.

1.4 Legislative, national and international obligations

1.4.1 Northern Territory

Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation (TPWC) Act

The TPWC Act contains provisions for the management and conservation of native animals including Saltwater Crocodiles. The Saltwater Crocodile is classified as protected wildlife throughout the Northern Territory under Section 43 of the TPWC Act. Section 66 of the Act prohibits the taking or interfering with protected wildlife without a permit issued by the Director of the Parks and Wildlife Commission or their delegate. It is also an offence under Section 66 of the Act to possess or trade in live or dead crocodiles, crocodile eggs or parts of crocodiles without a permit. The Saltwater Crocodile is not classified as threatened in the Northern Territory. It has recovered from the very low population numbers in the 1970s to now being considered a widespread and abundant species and not of any conservation concern.

It is an offence to possess live Saltwater Crocodiles or their eggs except in accordance with a permit issued under Section 43 of the TPWC Act by the Director of the Parks and Wildlife Commission or their delegate (Section 66(2)).


Permits to possess and/or trade in crocodiles may be issued by the Director of the Parks and Wildlife Commission or a delegate in accordance with Sections 55, 56 and 57 of the TPWC Act. The Director may under Section 57 of the Act apply terms, conditions or limitations to the permit to regulate the harvesting and farming of crocodiles.

The taking of wildlife by Aboriginal people for traditional purposes, including food, is providedfor under Section 122 of the TPWC Act. Aboriginal people are not bound by hunting regulations or seasons when taking animals for food or other traditional purposes.

Animal Welfare Act

The Animal Welfare Act ensures that animals are treated humanely; cruelty to animals is prevented and community awareness about the welfare of animals is promoted. Crocodiles held in captivity under permit are classified as stock animals under the Animal Welfare Act and persons must not neglect, or commit an act of cruelty that causes an animal unnecessary suffering.

Code of Practice on the Humane Treatment of Wild and Farmed Australian Crocodiles

Animal welfare standards for crocodiles are detailed in this Code. All crocodiles must be managed in accordance with this Code.h t t p :/ / w ww . en v i r o n m e n t . go v . a u / b io d i v e r s i t y/ t r a de - u s e / pu b l i c a t i on s / c r o c od i l e - c od e - o f - p r a c t i c e . h t ml

Environmental Assessment Act

New developments for the farming, processing and display of crocodiles will need to meet the requirements of this Act.

Meat Industries Act

Farmed crocodiles may be slaughtered in abattoirs licensed for the slaughter of crocodiles. In addition, the Saltwater Crocodile was declared as a game animal on 10 June 2004 (G24) under the Meat Industries Act which enables crocodiles killed in the wild to be slaughtered forhuman consumption in licensed game meat abattoirs according to the national code of practice for the slaughter of game animals.

Food Act

Crocodile meat is sold for human consumption and this Act provides for the safety and suitability of food for human consumption.

Livestock Act

Farmed crocodiles are treated as livestock under this Act which provides for disease surveillance, disease control, identifying and tracing animals and regulating movement of animals and animal products for the purpose of disease control

Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan for the Northern Territory: sustaining our resources – people, country and enterprises.

This Northern Territory Government endorsed plan provides the broad framework and a series of actions directly contributing to the conservation of Saltwater Crocodile habitat and for the sustainable use of wildlife such as Saltwater Crocodiles.


1.4.2 Commonwealth Government

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act

The EPBC Act regulates imports and exports to and from Australia of all Australian native animals or their parts. The Saltwater Crocodile is a listed marine species under the EPBC Act. This protects the species and limits the circumstances under which they may be taken. Part13A of the EPBC Act regulates imports and exports of crocodiles and crocodile products. It also fulfils Australia’s legislative requirements as a signatory party to CITES (see 1.4.3). Section 303CH lists specific conditions that must be met for the export or import of CITES specimens. For CITES Appendix II exports the specimen must be sourced from an appropriate captive breeding or artificial propagation program, an approved wildlife trade operation, or an approved wildlife trade management plan.

This Northern Territory Management Program meets the requirements of the EPBC Act for both international and national activities with Saltwater Crocodiles. This management program therefore complies with an approved Commonwealth wildlife trade management plan pursuant to Section 303FO of the EPBC Act. Commercial export permits for crocodiles are issued under Section 303CG.

A State/Territory management program for wild populations is not required if a State/Territory elects to limit use to captive breeding. However, even crocodile farms based solely oncaptive breeding in Australia have to be registered under the EPBC Act before permission to export products is granted.

Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act

This Act establishes the Land Councils. A function of the Land Councils is that they confirm the correct landholders (traditional owners) have given their permission for any commercial wildlife harvest before TPWC Act permits can be issued. This Act also provides for Section19 Land Use Agreements which should be in place for commercial crocodile harvesting. These agreements can provide the conditions of access to land for the purpose of harvesting and there should be consistency between ALR Act Land Use Agreements and TPWC Act permits.

1.4.3 International

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

All Crocodilians (including alligators, caimans and true crocodiles) are listed on the Appendices of CITES to which Australia is signatory. Those species most threatened in the wild by tradeare listed on Appendix I and all remaining species are listed on Appendix II. In most countries C. porosus is listed on Appendix I. However the Australian, Indonesian and Papua New Guinean populations are included in Appendix II which allows international trade subject to the provisions of CITES. The Appendix II listing places controls on international trade in crocodiles and crocodile products through export permits. A CITES export permit is required for all commercial exports and can only be issued if it has been determined that the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species and that the specimen was legally obtained.


Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention)

Australia is also a signatory to the Ramsar Convention. There are plans of management for all three of the three Ramsar-listed areas of the Northern Territory (Stages one and two of Kakadu National Park and Garig Gunak Barlu National Park) which protect wetlands and their dependent fauna, including Saltwater Crocodiles.


2. Management context2.1 Socio-economic valuesIn the Northern Territory, crocodiles are an iconic species that attract considerable publicity and a wide range of community views and opinions regarding their abundance, distribution and cultural and economic importance. Public and political will to continue conserving crocodiles and their habitats is closely linked to the net community value of crocodiles being positive.

2.1.1 Cultural values

The importance of crocodiles in Aboriginal culture is reflected in a complex system of totems and ceremonies which is still evident among most coastal Aboriginal communities in northern Australia today (Lanhupuy 1987). Aboriginal communities also regard Saltwater Crocodilesas dangerous animals. The non-Indigenous community has a diversity of views on Saltwater Crocodiles from being reviled and seen as dangerous pests to being admired and recognised as having a significant and rightful place in the natural world. Crocodiles are an important natural resource for many sectors including Aboriginal communities, the tourist industry and the crocodile farming industry.

2.1.2 Economic

Harvesting

The harvesting of crocodiles primarily for their skins but also for their flesh and body parts supports a significant industry in the Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory Government determines the sustainable limits of the harvest and submits the Management Program to the Australian Government for endorsement (see section 1.4.2). The landholder has control over access to the resource. The landholder can therefore decide to:• allow or not allow harvest• conduct their own harvest or give approval for a third party to conduct the harvest• determine the level and form of payment for access to the resource• determine any conditions (within legal requirements) they wish to impose on access to

the resource.

Egg harvest

The mainstay of the crocodile farming industry is the harvest of eggs from the wild under an annual ranching program. This harvest has operated continuously since the first small trial harvest was conducted in the 1983/84 nesting season. The annual harvest of 50,000 live eggs provides a significant employment and commercial opportunity to landholders, in particular remote Indigenous communities. Although some farms maintain a capacity for captive breeding, the number of eggs generated from captive breeding is less than the wild harvest. During the life of this program, the wild harvest of eggs will continue to be the predominant form of harvest.


Animal harvest

In 1994 all restrictions and conditions on the CITES listing of the Australian population of Saltwater crocodile were removed, which allowed commercial harvesting to expand from the ranching of eggs to the take of hatchlings, juveniles and adults. However, the commercial interest in the harvest of these stages has been small. For example, although there was a quota in the previous Management Program for 500 adults, the commercial take of adults has been less than this quota each year for the last six years. The previous plan was approved subject to the safari hunting component being removed.

The Northern Territory’s crocodile management program provides an incentive for Aboriginal communities and land managers to conserve crocodile breeding habitats through payments to landholders by harvesters for each egg or animal collected from their property.

There is a small demand for crocodiles as pets and legally acquired stock can be held as pets under a set of special conditions. A permit to keep is required as detailed under section 4.2.2.

Farming

The NT position in the world market for farmed crocodile skins is small but occupies an important and significant niche in supplying premium grade skins for high end market fashion accessories. Between 2003 and 2007 the Northern Territory exported on average approximately 6,000 skins per year both interstate and internationally. Recent farm infrastructure expansion and increasing holdings of animals has seen this number increase significantly. Between 2008 and 2012 the number of skins exported annually his increased from 9,594 in 2008 to 25,435 in 2012. The meat and other products of crocodiles such as teeth and skulls are also marketed. Whilst the farming industry is small in number of businesses, it is substantial in economic output with an annual turnover in the order ofseveral tens of millions of dollars. There are currently eight functional crocodile farms in theNorthern Territory, which collectively held approximately 88,555 non-hatchling and a total of116,781 C. porosus as at end of December 2012. The Northern Territory crocodile industry currently directly employs between 60 – 100 people.

Tourism

Crocodiles contribute significantly to visitor knowledge of the Top End and viewing crocodiles is an important expectation or even a “must” for most Top End visitors. In visitor surveys, Tremblay (2003) reported that seeing crocodiles dominates the best experiences in wildlife- viewing. While tourists generally prefer to see crocodiles in the wild and this is an increasingly sought after experience, attractions featuring captive crocodiles are also rated highly and are popular destinations. The Top End offers a wide range of experiences from observing in the wild; modified behaviour in the wild; research/educational displays and captive encounters.


2.2 Population estimates and trends

In the Northern Territory, unregulated commercial hunting of C. porosus began in 1945 and continued until 1971 when the species was protected due to the marked decline of the population. After protection in 1971, the population of C. porosus in the Northern Territory increased from approximately 3,000 non-hatchlings (individuals >0.6 m total length) in 1971 to between 30,000 and 40,000 individuals in 1984 (Webb et al. 1984). The population of wild non-hatchling C. porosus has continued to increase - in 1994 it was estimated to be between 70,000 and 75,000 non-hatchling individuals (Webb et al. 1994), and in 2012 the estimated population was 80,000-100,000 non-hatchlings (Fukuda et al. in prep).

The current survey and monitoring data provides a measure of the population trend at the sampling sites and by extrapolation a demonstration of the trend for the total population. The principal purpose of monitoring the wild population is to provide an objective means through which any serious general or local decline, due to any cause, can be detected in sufficient time to effect remedial action. The monitoring program also allows rates of change of population size and structure (proportion of different size classes and biomass) to be quantified and assessed, thereby providing an objective basis for adjusting harvest levels as necessary. Details of the long-term population trends are shown in Appendix 3. These statistics do not provide a measure of the total number in the population nor is such a statistic required for management purposes.

The population of Saltwater Crocodiles in the Northern Territory continues to increase as demonstrated by the trend in the pooled data from monitored rivers (Figure 1) and individual rivers (Appendix 3). In some rivers rates of increase have recently slowed and may be approaching relatively stable levels (Delaney et al. 2008; Fukuda et al in prep). There is no suggestion that population trends differ among rivers in catchments that are unharvested, partially harvested, or subject to harvest throughout their area (Appendix 3).

The continuing increase in the Saltwater Crocodile population is also demonstrated by:• The biomass of crocodiles in some of these rivers continues to increase, including rivers

in which increase in numbers is levelling off (Appendix 3). This is consistent with the expectation of the maturing size and age structure of a large, slow-growing species that is recovering from the threshold of extinction in the 1970s.

• The distribution of Saltwater Crocodiles is expanding upstream to recolonise accessible freshwater habitats in the Northern Territory (Letnic and Connors 2006).

• There is an increase in the number of crocodiles that are living in other marginal habitat, such as the coasts and seas (Nichols and Letnic 2008).

• The number of crocodiles removed from the ‘Intensively Managed’ zone in the Darwin Harbour has increased in recent years (Section 2.4), indicating that animals in expanding populations continue to disperse in search of living areas (Delaney et al. 2008).


Figure 1: Modelled abundance density of non-hatchling (>0.6 m, including eyes-only) of C. porosus calculated from standardised spotlight surveys in 12 (to 2007 then 8) tidal rivers since 1975.

2.3 Saltwater crocodile habitat

2.3.1 Protected areas

Formal protected areas in the Northern Territory provide a mosaic of secure areas in which Saltwater Crocodiles and their riparian and wetland habitats are protected. They also provide areas where the public can view and learn about crocodiles and their conservation. Significant areas of potential suitable crocodile habitat were identified by overlaying hydrography and vegetation layers on the reserve system boundaries in GIS (Table 1, Figure2).


Table 1: Protected areas in the NT with significant potential areas of suitable habitat forC. porosus

NameArea(km2) Suitable habitat (km2)

Kakadu National Park 19 068 2 730

Mary River National Park 1 217 680

Djukbinj National Park 553 330

Garig Gunak Barlu National Park 2 063 310

Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve 121 80

Litchfield National Park 1 459 40

Vernon Islands Conservation Reserve 33 30

Harrison Dam Conservation Area 32 30

Melacca Swamp Conservation Area 23 20

Keep River National Park 314 20

Figure 2 shows the predicted favourable Saltwater Crocodile habitat in the Reserve system. The commercial harvest of C. porosus is currently permitted within Djukbinj, Harrison Dam and Melacca Swamp protected areas but is not permitted within Kakadu, Mary River, Shoal Bay, Litchfield, Vernon Islands and Keep River. Saltwater Crocodiles are actively trapped from specific sites in Nitmiluk, Flora, Shoal Bay and Litchfield National Parks as a public safety measure.

Figure 2: Suitable Saltwater Crocodile habitat in the Northern Territory reserve system predicted from hydrography and vegetation layers in GEODATA TOPO 250K Series 3. Suitable habitat are defined by favourable water body types (land subject to inundation, marine swamp, saline coastal flat, swamp, perennial lake, perennial watercourses, and mangrove) mapped to 100 km from the coastline.


No harvesting is permitted in Kakadu National Park so it is of particular significance as a protected area for crocodiles given the area of suitable crocodile habitat within this Park.

2.3.2 Significant wetlands outside reserves

A major part of the range of C. porosus in the Northern Territory also lies within either Aboriginal Lands or pastoral lands. Pastoralists, local communities and/or their legal representatives support the maintenance of Saltwater Crocodile habitat by controlling activities likely to be detrimental to the long-term conservation of Saltwater Crocodiles. These protocols and restrictions offer significant protection for wetland areas.

2.4 Problem saltwater crocodiles

One of the most practical and effective responses to improve public safety is to remove crocodiles in areas of high risk for people. Provision has been made for problem crocodile removal in previous Management Programs and crocodiles are removed from areas where they may cause harm to people and their property.

Problem crocodiles are defined broadly as those individuals where one or more of the following applies:

• The crocodile has attacked or is about to attack a person or persons;• The crocodile is behaving aggressively towards a person or persons;• The location of the crocodile makes it a threat or potential threat to human safety or

wellbeing; or• The activity of the crocodile is affecting the productivity of industry or commercial

enterprises.

The program allows for problem crocodiles to be killed and used directly for skin and meat production or captured and used as stock in crocodile farms. Because released crocodiles tend to return quite rapidly to sites of capture (Walsh and Whitehead 1993) and transport and handling is stressful and costly, problem crocodiles are not relocated.

The number of animals that have been captured each year under the problem crocodile program has varied over time (Table 2). This variation is likely to reflect both the increase in the general crocodile population and fluctuations in crocodile activity between years owing to climatic variability (Nichols and Letnic 2008). These figures include crocodiles captured from Darwin Harbour (including Shoal Bay and some tributaries), the Darwin rural area, as well as some from Katherine and other populated or recreation areas.

Table 2: The number of problem C . po r o sus removed by Parks and Wildlife staff each financial year between 1999 and 2008.

Year Problem Crocodiles Year Problem Crocodiles

1998/1999 112 2006/2007 247

1999/2000 152 2007/2008 204

2000/2001 182 2008/2009 241

2001/2002 147 2009/2010 271


2002/2003 180 2010/2011 290

2003/2004 222 2011/2012 301

2004/2005 224 2012/2013 272

2005/2006 236

2.5 History of use

2.5.1 Indigenous harvest and use

Crocodile meat and eggs are thought to have been used as a food source by Aboriginal people for up to 40,000 years (McBryde 1979, Flood 1983). The value of eggs to Indigenous communities lay in the protein they provided to people. In the initial phases of the Northern Territory program in the 1970s nests were “bought” from landowners for 12 dozen chicken eggs to compensate for the lost nutritional value (G. Webb pers. comm.).

Section 122 of the TPWC Act maintains the right for customary harvest (other than for the purpose of sale) of crocodiles and their eggs by Aboriginal people. The number of eggs and non-hatchling crocodiles traditionally harvested annually in 1990s was estimated to be around 2,000 individuals (PWCNT 1998). Based on surveys conducted in central Arnhem Land between 2003-4, the subsistence use of crocodiles in areas where they are relatively abundant is negligible (A Griffiths (DLRM), G Wightman (DLRM) and J Altman (ANU), pers. comm). This outcome is similar to surveys conducted in 1980 at the same location (Altman1987). The declining subsistence use of crocodiles is likely to be an interplay between retaining crocodiles because of their commercial value and a shift to preferred meat sources such as buffalo, pig and wallaby. No dedicated monitoring is required for subsistence use of crocodiles.

2.5.2 Commercial harvesting and use

Saltwater Crocodiles were commercially hunted in the Northern Territory before they were protected in 1971. Experimental egg harvests commenced in 1983 for C. porosus and ranching operations with CITES approval commenced in 1987. Initial management programs for crocodiles (C. porosus and C. johnstoni) in the Northern Territory included harvest of eggs, hatchlings, juveniles and adults from the wild to rear in captivity for production. The1998 management program (PWCNT 1998) also allowed non-hatchlings to enter trade directly after harvesting, without the need to spend time in a farm. However, the poor quality of skins from wild animals means this source is rarely used. Numbers harvested increased from 17 individuals in 1997 to 158 individuals in 2001 but subsequently reduced to 65 individuals in 2007. This does not include problem crocodiles removed by PWC. The harvest of eggs is a critical component of the Northern Territory crocodile industry. Since farming started in the early 1980s, the total number of eggs collected has increased from 298 in1982/83 to 47,610 in 2012/13.

3. Threats and impactsExisting patterns of land use (chiefly pastoral, reserves and Indigenous lands) are generally consistent with retaining large wetland areas and their dependent crocodile populations. Groombridge (1987) and Jenkins (1987) have detailed potential threats to crocodile populations worldwide. As with all crocodilian species, most threats (direct and indirect)


impacting C. porosus are anthropogenic in origin. Within the life of this program there are no perceived or likely threats to the conservation status of C. porosus in the Northern Territory and all predictions indicate that the species will continue to be abundant. The impact of climate change through changes in sea levels, rainfall patterns and probable vegetation changes is an unquantified and largely unknown impact on the Saltwater Crocodile. The public demands for more intense crocodile management in areas close to human habitation will result in the localised removal of increased numbers of animals. However, real or perceived changes to public attitudes and any subsequent reduced tolerance of crocodiles will not impact on the broad-scale maintenance of a viable Northern Territory-wide population of SaltwaterCrocodiles.

3.1 Natural predators

The only significant predator of adult crocodiles apart from humans is other crocodiles with larger Saltwater Crocodiles eating small animals of both species. There are predators of young hatchlings such as fish (e.g. barramundi) and birds (e.g. Black-necked Stork) and other species such as Goannas can be predators of eggs. Saltwater Crocodiles are thought to be little affected by Cane Toad (Rhinella marina, formerly Bufo marinus) poisoning (van Dam et al.2002; Letnic 2008), possibly because the species is continuously distributed from Australia to south-east Asia where other related toad species are also found.

3.2 Drought, flood and climate change

Drought can have a significant but not long-lasting impact on C. porosus populations unless coupled with other factors. Heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding, particularly associated with cyclones can cause localised egg and juvenile mortality (Webb and Smith 1987).

One of the major effects of climate change is an anticipated rise in sea level with conservative estimates (Hennessy et al. 2004, 2007) anticipating an increase in sea level of50 centimetres by 2100 and a corresponding loss of coastal floodplain systems and wetlandhabitat. These calculations do not take into account other anticipated and compounding changes such as further saltwater intrusion or changes in hydrology and in weed and feral animal distributions and increased temperature. As temperature determines the sex of hatchlings, long-term temperature changes could also affect the population structure. The predictions of more frequent and intense dry season wildfires and severe storm events may have negative impacts on nesting vegetation, food sources and survivorship rates. However, changes may also create opportunities for crocodiles to expand their distribution. The possible impacts of climate change remain in the realm of prediction and modeling and overa time frame much longer than the life of this Management Program. As such they cannot bemitigated within this program but monitoring should be capable of detecting significant population changes through whatever cause.

3.3 Habitat loss and modification

The habitats of C. porosus in the Northern Territory are generally not threatened by development although current and proposed clearing in the Daly and Katherine regions may have indirect long-term impacts. There is anecdotal evidence that Saltwater Crocodiles are affected by the invasion of freshwater wetlands by introduced plants such as Mimosa pigra including through reducing the availability of nesting habitat. Anecdotal reports indicate that the removal of Mimosa is likely to increase Magpie Geese and crocodile nesting. Since the 1970s, disturbance of floodplain habitats by feral buffalo was greatly reduced following eradication


campaigns with a resultant improvement in nesting habitat. There are increasing numbers of buffalo and pig which will cause concern as these negatively impact on nesting vegetation. The increasing value of crocodile eggs is encouraging improved control of M. pigra, feral herbivores and fire by landowners to favour crocodile nesting habitat (RMCG 2008).

3.4 Entanglement in fishing nets

Entanglement in fishing nets is known to cause crocodile deaths in Australia. Losses of C. porosus due to accidental capture and drowning in barramundi fishing nets were documented and assessed in the early 1980s (Webb et al. 1984). Since these surveys commercial fishing has been banned within a number of river systems that are importantnesting habitats for C. porosus, such as the Mary, Roper and Alligator Rivers. Fishermen arenot permitted to use wild crocodiles that drown in their nets. Recent internal DPIF reports show that crocodile mortality due to drowning in fishing nets during 2007 and 2008 was less than 30 individuals.

3.5 Disease

There appear to be no significant diseases of wild crocodiles that present a major threat to the wild population. Intensive animal husbandry of any species can create conditions which lead to high mortality due to disease and this is true for crocodiles. There were significant hatchling losses in some farms due to a disease outbreak in 2006.

3.6 Harvesting – general

Over the 25 years of harvesting in the Northern Territory it is clear that the harvest has been managed to deliver the primary objectives of sustainable, viable crocodile populations (Appendix 3). The harvest has not been a threat to the species.

3.6.1 Harvesting – genetic

The harvest of crocodiles and crocodile eggs is widely dispersed and unlikely to have an impact on the genetic integrity of the population.

3.6.2 Harvesting - impacts on other species, habitats and ecosystems

Most eggs are collected by helicopter, which has no impact on soil erosion, water bodies, watercourses, wetlands or drainage systems. The very small numbers of eggs and non- hatchling crocodiles taken, mostly by boat, mean that these operations also do not significantly adversely impact the habitat.

There is no evidence or expectation that the commercial harvest is likely to have any impacts on threatened species or ecological communities of conservation significance or that it will cause disturbance or displacement to native fauna. Similarly there is no evidence as yet that commercial harvest helps introduce or disperse invasive weeds although there is a possibility that the floats of helicopters could be a vector for aquatic weeds such as Salvinia or Eichhornia. It is becoming apparent that landholders are increasingly managing land tofavour crocodile nesting habitat which means efforts to reduce mimosa, pigs and buffalo, andto manage fire will favour establishing nesting vegetation. Large crocodiles take introduced herbivores such as buffalo, cattle and pigs but the overall impact on these feral populations is probably negligible.


4. Management practices and performancemeasures

To achieve the aims and objectives of this management program, DLRM and PWC in conjunction with DPIF implements a range of management practices to control the harvest, farming and trade of Saltwater Crocodiles in accord with the TPWC Act and the EPBC Act. Performance indicators are provided for each management practice. The milestones and performance measures for the life of this program are summarised in Appendix 4.

Objective 1 - To facilitate the sustainable use of SaltwaterCrocodiles

4.1 Commercial harvest and use

Restrictions on live animal harvesting

The Northern Territory Government will seek to maintain the presence of a visible crocodile population and large iconic (generally ≥ 4.5 m) individuals through the creation of zones where harvesting of life cycle stages other than eggs is restricted. Harvesting will be prohibited or restricted in some areas or circumstances if necessary to maintain local or regional populations or to maintain non-use benefits from the species. Large individuals can be removed wherever there is a public safety or livestock concern. In general, harvesting of juvenile and adult crocodiles will not normally be permitted:

1. In waterways where the watercourse forms the boundary between two or more properties.

2. In catchments that are heavily used by the tourism and fishing industry e.g. the Mary River catchment downstream of the Arnhem Highway, the Adelaide River catchment downstream of the Marrakai Crossing, the East Alligator River, and the Daly River catchment west of Oolloo Crossing. Where low level harvest is permitted such as forskins, or farms, it will be strongly regulated to ensure that tourism interests are not damaged.

3. From sites where crocodiles are particularly significant to local Indigenous people.

Performance Indicator

Ensure all harvest permits minimise the possible negative impact on, or conflict with, tourism, social or cultural interests.

Harvest ceilingThe harvest ceilings covering both eggs and animals that have developed through previous management programs were based on an adaptive management approach through implementation of a conservative harvest, monitoring the impact of that harvest and subsequent adjustment of the harvest. The harvest ceilings were set well above what was anticipated to be collected and well within what was considered sustainable.

The total number of C. porosus that can be taken commercially within the Northern Territory in a financial year, or for eggs during a nesting season, within this program is shown in Table3. There is no requirement for the Northern Territory Government to allow the full harvestceiling to be taken in any year.


Table 3: Annual ceiling for the harvesting of crocodiles and their eggs from the wild. Numbers are set for the financial year to include the nesting season. The egg ceiling is based on live eggs.

Stock 2013/2014 2014/2015 2015/20161

Eggs 70,000 70,000 70,000

Hatchlings 500 500 500

Juveniles 400 400 400

Adults 500 500 500

1 The ceiling shown for 2015/2016 is an indicative harvest ceiling as the plan provides approval up to 31December 2015 and the ceiling for 2015/2016 may be increased in the next plan.

Egg Harvest

The use of egg numbers as the basic measurement of the egg harvest has remained unchanged and will continue in this program. The harvest ceiling permits and egg allocation will be based on ‘live’ eggs (see definitions). This change addresses concerns from both industry and regulators. A practical compliance measure at an early stage in the harvest/farming process is now the measure of eggs placed into the incubator. Royalties to the Northern Territory Government will continue to be based on ‘viable’ eggs.

The natural mortality of eggs in the wild is usually high but varies depending on the weather (Webb and Manolis 1993). It has been suggested that the mortality of crocodiles at each stage of their life cycle (hatchling, juvenile and adult) is partially dependent on the density of larger crocodiles that prey upon and competitively exclude smaller crocodiles (Webb and Manolis1993). Because a very low percentage of eggs/hatchlings would normally survive to later age classes in the wild (Webb and Manolis 1993) and the current harvest represents a very small proportion of the total number of eggs laid each year (DLRM internal data), it is unlikely that the harvesting of crocodile eggs at current rates will substantially affect the size or age structure of the population (Appendix 3). Continued monitoring will insure that the proposed level of egg harvesting remains sustainable.

Currently all of the monitored rivers are harvested. All monitored rivers have shown an increase in both abundance and biomass (Appendix 3). This is consistent with the continued increase in the overall population in the Northern Territory (Figure 1) and it supports continuing with an adaptively managed increase in the egg harvest.

The ceiling for the harvest of live eggs increased from 50,000 in 2010/2011 to 60,000 in2011/2012 and 2012/2013 and increased to 70,000 in 2013/2014. An egg harvest ceiling of70,000 eggs is planned for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.

Non-hatchling harvest

The increased focus by industry on harvesting eggs has been paralleled by a decreasing take of non-hatchlings. The recent commercial take of adults has been less than the approved quota for the last six years which demonstrates the quota is in excess of what is needed. Quotas firstly need to be demonstrably sustainable but they should also be reflective of the needs of public safety and industry. Accordingly the ceiling of each of the size classes has been maintained from the previous program.


Harvest review

The maximum harvest ceiling of all life stages will be reviewed every 2 years immediately after the population surveys have been completed and analysed. Should the monitoring indicate that populations are increasing or remaining stable and the harvest impact is within the established sustainable limits then further increasing the maximum harvest ceiling will be considered. Conversely, should declining trends be demonstrated then the need for harvest restrictions will be assessed as outlined in Section 4.8. The consideration and justification for any changes in the harvest ceiling will be presented within the required reporting framework.

The Director of the Parks and Wildlife Commission may vary the ceiling, provided that, in the case of an increase, the Australian Government has provided endorsement of the change in writing.

Prior to making a decision to revise the ceiling, the Northern Territory Government will consider the following:• current trends in population size and structure;• climatic or environmental effects on the population;• management objectives for specific areas;• proportion of total habitat subject to harvesting;• any non-commercial mortality events within populations;• review of previous harvests;• review of past and current research results; and• any other information considered relevant by the Director of the Parks and Wildlife

Commission.

Local sustainable harvest levels within specific areas of land subject to harvesting will be determined after similar considerations. The geographic basis for this will be based on regional catchments as defined in Figure 3. The current percentage of egg harvest in each catchment reflects a number of historic parameters such as access to helicopters, productivity and ease of collection, and landholder interest in the industry (Figure 3). The percentages have not been fixed for future seasons. An improved GIS database to assist with both the allocation of eggs and the assessment of harvest effort and compliance will be developed.

If demand for eggs is greater than the ceiling, the Northern Territory Government will apply aset of criteria/principles to apportion eggs to applicants to remain within the harvest ceiling. The process will be conducted to ensure the allocation is equitable and transparent. The criteria will be developed in consultation with stakeholders and made available on the Department of Land Resource Management web site.

The harvest levels set out in Table 3 are both conservative and adaptive, and populations harvested at these levels are expected to fluctuate primarily in response to environmental conditions such as rainfall and the availability and quality of breeding habitat (Fukuda et al.2007).


Figure 3: Regional catchments used for C . p o r o s u s egg allocation. The percentage of the egg harvest allocated to each region shown is averaged from the collecting seasons of 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06 and 2006/07. These proportions are not static and are expected to vary between years and over time.

Precautionary approach

The following attributes of the species and the harvest introduce a number of precautionary elements. Some of these can be applied as measures which can be implemented should a serious decline (see section 4.8) be detected that merits management intervention.

Resilience of the speciesThe Northern Territory crocodile population is inherently strongly resilient and able to rapidly recover as exemplified by the extraordinary recovery from near extinction after protection in1971. The survey data shows that the population structure is shifting to proportionately larger crocodiles (Appendix 3). Given the large number of eggs laid each year (average clutch size50) and their high mortality due to flooding (Webb and Manolis 1993), an increased level ofegg harvest is expected to have little impact on hatchling recruitment. The species is also highly mobile and able to disperse widely.


MonitoringThere is regular population monitoring and the frequency of this monitoring can be increased should it be required. This means it is possible to detect an adverse trend and implement corrective actions within an appropriate time frame relative to the life cycle attributes of the Saltwater Crocodile (see section 4.8).

Harvest EfficiencyCurrently not all eggs can be collected from all areas due to the difficulty in finding nests, accessibility and the increasing costs with increased remoteness.

Non-harvest areasA system of non-harvest areas provides a safety net to ensure hatchling recruitment into the population. The primary non-harvest area is the West and South Alligator Rivers within Kakadu National Park. The existing monitoring surveys include harvested and non-harvested rivers and this provides the means to investigate if there is a relationship between any population changes and the extent of any harvesting impact.

Ranching with return to the wildThe original concept of ranching in the context of CITES is based on a percentage of ranched individuals being returned to the wild to maintain the natural recruitment of hatchlings into the population. The high mortality of the earliest life cycle stages is therefore avoided and such a release should enhance recruitment into the population.

Due to the increasing crocodile population in the Northern Territory there has never been a requirement to release hatchlings or older stages back into the wild in the ranching program. Such a regular system of release is unlikely to be logistically practical in the Northern Territory. Additional constraints to the cost and logistics include increased risk of disease introduction into the wild population and the fitness of captive raised individuals for reintroduction into the wild.

Nevertheless reintroduction remains a feasible option that can be implemented if needed to address a serious decline in the population at the local or broader level.

Performance Indicators

Develop and implement a GIS database to assist with both allocation of eggs and monitoring harvest effort and compliance.

Investigate and take appropriate action on all suspected local impacts on the population.

Instigate adaptive management actions should there be any increased threats to theSaltwater Crocodile and their habitat.

Ensure the harvest ceiling is set in accordance with the provisions of this management program.

Assess all permit applications and ensure egg allocation is distributed across harvest regions in accordance with the provisions of the management program.

4.2 Permits and compliance

Commercial use will be regulated by issuing individual permits under Section 56 of the TPWC Act. The PWC web site provides details of the types and conditions of permits relating to


wildlife (http://parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au/permits/permits). Commercial operations are subject to review under the Environmental Assessment Act when established. The commercial processing of farmed crocodile meat from the live animal up to leaving an abattoir is covered under the Meat Industries Act. Food products after leaving the abattoir are regulated by the Food Act. Packaging is labelled to identify the contents as coming from an approved wildlife trade management program.

4.2.1 Permits to take

Crocodylus porosus is protected in the Northern Territory. The removal of any crocodiles from the wild (animals or eggs; live or dead) requires a Permit to Take from the Northern Territory Government, or on Commonwealth land such as Kakadu National Park, a permit from the Australian Government. Permits to Take must be linked to a Permit to Keep if the specimens are retained. Permit applications must include details on the method, extent and location of the proposed harvest. All permits for harvesting will require the written consent of the landholder. Permits are normally for one year but egg harvesting permits may on request be issued for up to five years. New multiple year egg harvest permits will be issued on the basis of an annual allocation. The allocations for successive years will be assessed and adjusted each year as part of a rolling program. The closing date for egg permit applicationsfor each season will be 31st August.

The permit holder must provide the Northern Territory Government with a written report on activities conducted under the permit. This report should include details on the number of animals (including eggs) taken, skin tag numbers if relevant, the size and sex of each crocodile that was taken, and a GPS location of the harvest. In the case of egg collections, returns must be lodgedby 31st July and the report should provide detail of all eggs including the number of live eggsharvested at each collection site with GPS location and the number of viable eggs produced. Annual reports/returns need to be submitted each year for a multi-year permit. Failure to lodge a return or the inclusion of insufficient or incorrect information in the permit return may result in issuing a warning letter, caution notices, an infringement notice, the refusal of future permit applications, revocation of permits and/or prosecution.

The Northern Territory Government may vary or cancel a permit at any time if information becomes available that indicates that conservation management measures may be required to protect a C. porosus population. Compliance with the Code of Practice (see Section 1.4.1) will be a condition of all permits issued for harvesting crocodiles.

4.2.2 Permits to keep

A Permit to Keep from the Northern Territory Government is required to keep and/or trade C. porosus and/or its parts. A Permit to Keep C. porosus in captivity is subject to annual renewal and compliance with the provisions of the TPWC Act and the Animal Welfare Act. Compliance with the Code of Practice (see Section 1.4.1) will be a condition of all permits issued to keep crocodiles. Crocodiles kept as pets also require a Permit to Keep with a particular set of permit conditions. These conditions can be found at the following linkhttp://lrm.nt.gov.au/ data/assets/pdf_file/0015/11454/guide_for_keeping_crocs2.pdf

Farm records are administered by DPIF and the responsibility for farm records vests with DPIF. The holder of the Permit to Keep is required to provide monthly farm records to DPIF detailing stock gains/losses, transfers, sales, mortality, and skin and meat processing figures. Crocodile farms are also required to submit the details of all animals held on the annual permit return to


PWC. This information is used to compare farm holdings with wild harvest permit returns and ensure compliance with wild harvest permits. In the case of wild caught animals annual returns are to be provided to PWC.

Individuals or companies trading products derived from Saltwater Crocodiles taken under this Management Program are required to maintain detailed records, and to mark such products (excluding skins) with a product label in accordance with the PWC product label guidelines. PWC issues product labels for finished products on a cost recovery basis or producers can print the required information on their own labelling and packaging. The minimum requirement for an approved product label is that the label:

• states that this is a crocodile product produced in accordance with an approved management program;

• shows the permit number of the Permit to Keep that the product was produced under;and

• shows the date that the product label was affixed to the product.

These labels provide the means to identify products as originating from a legitimate source.

Failure to lodge a return or the inclusion of insufficient or incorrect information in the permit returnmay result in issuing a warning letter, caution notices, an infringement notice, the refusal of future permit applications, revocation of permits and/or prosecution.

4.2.3 Permits to export and import

A permit issued under the TPWC Act is required to export (including re-export) wild caught, commercially farmed and captive-bred C. porosus or its parts from the Northern Territory to other Australian States and Territories. Permits for the export of live animals or parts derived from wild caught animals are obtained from PWC. Permits for export of parts derived from ranched or captive-bred animals are obtained from DPIF.

The overseas export of shipments of live crocodiles and commercial shipments of crocodilian skins, products or by-products from Australia requires an additional CITES permit from the Australian Government department responsible for administering the EPBC Act. DPIF provides skin tags and permits on behalf of the Australian government for commercial shipments ofskins from crocodile farms. Other international exports will require an export permit from PWCprior to the Australian Government issuing a CITES permit.

Under CITES provisions for personal effects, crocodilian products can leave Australia within a passenger’s personal luggage without a CITES permit if they are personally owned, non- commercial, legally acquired, and no more than four items are carried per person. If sourced in the NT, these items should have a product label attached stating that the crocodilian product is derived from an approved management program (see section 4.2.2).

An import permit issued by the Australian Government responsible for administering the EPBC Act is required for the commercial shipment of crocodilian products or their parts entering the Northern Territory from overseas. A Northern Territory import (including re-import) permit, issued under the TPWC Act is required for all shipments of crocodiles or their parts entering the Northern Territory from within Australia. Imports from other Australian jurisdictions should also be accompanied by an export permit from that jurisdiction. Import permits for live animals


are issued by PWC and are valid for one month. Import permits for crocodile products are issued by DPIF.

4.2.4 Permits and returns

The farm Permit to Keep requires that the farm submit monthly farm records (see section4.2.2). Data from the monthly returns of crocodile farms is collated and submitted to DPIF, published in annual reports by DLRM and submitted to the Australian Government in compliance with the EPBC Act. Submitting production data to DPIF is a requirement of the Permit to Keep. DPIF conduct annual hatchling audits on all farms to validate monthly returns.

Shipment InspectionsAn AQIS health declaration and certification of any skins and hides is required for international shipment and is supplied by DPIF. All international shipments of crocodile products are inspected by a DPIF officer. Shipments are inspected to ensure that they comply with the conditions and details on the export permit. Once a shipment is inspected and sealed by a DPIF officer it can be exported.

SkinsEach whole skin, whole belly skin and, whole hornback skin and trophy skin entering trade or being exported will be marked with a non-reusable orange plastic skin tag issued by the Australian Government in compliance with the provisions of CITES Resolution Conf. 11.12. http://www.cites.org/eng/res/11/11-12.shtml. Excised backstraps are packaged into a carton and the skin tag is attached to the carton. The permit issued for backstraps states that the tag is attached to the box and records the total number of backstraps in the carton.

Each farm completes a Specimen Export Record (SER) which states the skin tags have been attached to either whole skins or cartons of backstraps and returns it to the Australian Government responsible for administering the EPBC Act. Each skin tag is uniquely numbered and the number serves as an identification number for all subsequent record keeping related to the skin of that particular animal. DPIF is responsible for issuing skin tags on a cost-recovery basis. Skin tags are issued annually.

FleshFlesh is packed in cartons that are marked to show that the enclosed product is a farmed product. Producers can use pre-labelled cartons which state that the contents are perishable and needs to be kept frozen or kept cold. Alternatively flesh can be sealed in standard cartons using specially marked green tape printed with “contents are perishable and needs to be kept frozen or kept cold”. This labelling requirement applies to both domestic and international shipments. The labelled tape is available from DPIF.

By-productsLarge parts (e.g. skulls), minor parts and derivatives of animals exported under the program are labelled with a product label in accordance with the PWC product label guidelines (see section 4.2.2).

Manufactured items (excluding tanned whole skins)Manufactured items are identified with a product label in accordance with the PWC product label guidelines (see section 4.2.2).


4.2.5 Compliance

The Northern Territory Government implements the following actions as measures to enforce compliance:• random checks may be conducted on eggs and farm stock to ensure compliance with

permit conditions and reporting;• remote surveillance is conducted on random crocodile nests in known locations;• data collected on eggs and hatchlings will be linked and compared to ensure the smooth

transition between different Northern Territory Departmental auditing systems;• DLRM and PWC will work collaboratively with other jurisdictions (i.e. Kakadu National

Park, Queensland, Western Australia, Australian Government and tanneries etc) as preventative actions to eliminate the possibility of illegal trade of eggs, animals or products interstate; and

• DLRM and PWC will investigate any reported potentially illegal incident and take legal action where sufficient evidence is obtained.

The Northern Territory Government has the capacity to develop and introduce permit conditions should any new additional compliance measures be needed.


Ensure that the annual commercial harvest of Saltwater Crocodiles does not exceed the approved ceiling for each category.

Assess applications and issue permits under the TPWC Act.

Monitor and audit harvest applications, approvals and returns and investigate and resolve any discrepancies.

Ensure all permit applications have correct landholder approval.

Ensure monthly farm stock returns comply with permit conditions and are reported half yearly to farms and DLRM.

Audit farm hatchlings annually.

Ensure compliance with the issue of skin tags and permits.

Conduct random checks on farm stock numbers.

Review permit conditions annually and amend where necessary.

Ensure compliance with permit conditions is at or near 100% and addressing permitbreaches through warning letters, caution notices, infringement notices or prosecution is at or near 100%.

4.3 Management-focused research

Management decisions will be enhanced by focused new research and analysis of existing data.

The Northern Territory Government will continue to review and analyse previous available data to describe changes to Saltwater Crocodile populations and their distribution over that time period. This will include a risk analysis for the Darwin rural area that will identify high risk


hotspots which can be targeted for more frequent surveillance and intensive management actions (see Objective 2).

The harvest system will draw on harvest modelling to aid decision-making. Harvest modelling will provide an additional decision support tool to assess harvest options and possibleimpacts at different spatial scales.

DLRM and PWC may issue permits for research on crocodiles. Crocodiles or any crocodile products taken under a research permit will not be considered as part of this management program unless they enter into commercial trade. Any live eggs that arise from permitted research activities that enter the commercial farming system will be included within the ceiling and reporting to the Australian Government. Non-viable eggs collected for permitted research activities will be excluded from the egg ceiling. Additional viable eggs can be obtained for legitimate research provided they do not enter the commercial industry. These eggs would be subject to the normal conditions and processes covered under any research proposals that usewildlife. Resultant hatchlings must be retained under a Permit to Keep or humanely euthanized.


Review and analyse available data to describe changes to Saltwater Crocodile populations and their distribution and publish the outcomes as appropriate.

Develop population/harvest simulation models to provide an additional decision support tool to assess harvest options and possible impacts.

Objective 2 - To promote community awareness and public safety

4.4 Risk assessment

A risk management approach to minimise negative interactions with people is critical to any management process that endeavours to maintain a top order predator such as Saltwater Crocodiles in the landscape. Approaches need to be capable of responding to interactions in remote areas as well as highly populated centres. In particular, the expansion of the Darwin rural area and the increased number of people choosing to live a rural lifestyle is increasing the potential interactions with crocodiles. The three basic approaches that can be adopted to improve public safety are:• reducing crocodile numbers in areas where people and crocodiles significantly overlap;• increasing public awareness and responsibility; and• increasing barriers to prevent either human entry to the water or the movement of

crocodiles into high public-use areas.

The most effective management response will depend on the size of the area to be managed, the practicality of actions and the level of risk. For the Darwin rural area data sources such as human population density and growth, crocodile population trends, problem crocodile capture records and GIS layers of habitat and watercourses will help identify high risk hotspots which can be targeted for more frequent and active surveillance. Such a risk analysis will allow the areas that require new or increased management interventions and the nature and scale of that management response to be identified and targeted.


There will be only a very limited range of circumstances where crocodile densities can be reduced to near zero and effectively no circumstances where the density can be guaranteed to be zero. The only safe assumption is that any body of water in the Top End may contain large and potentially dangerous crocodiles. Many waterways that are isolated in the dry season are connected to other river systems during the wet season, allowing crocodiles to move over a large area. The common name of ‘Saltwater Crocodile’ is something of a misnomer and perhaps creates some misconceptions that the species is confined to saltwater/estuarine habitats. Saltwater Crocodiles have always been found not only in coastal and tidal rivers, but also in floodplains, billabongs, and freshwater streams and habitats hundreds of kilometres inland. The expanding crocodile population also means that animals are recolonising and turning up in areas where they have not been seen for many years.


Analyse the risk of areas where human interaction with crocodiles may occur and prepare options for the appropriate level of management options.

Analyse problem crocodile capture data to assess trends and identify areas of increasing risk to humans.

Develop and implement a CROCWISE plan to educate and heighten the awareness of the dangers of crocodiles in the Northern Territory’s waterways.

4.5 Removal of problem crocodiles

The Northern Territory Government has specialist staff-members within the Parks and Wildlife Commission who remove problem crocodiles. Problem crocodiles in remote areas can be dealt with firstly by the Parks and Wildlife Commission crocodile team or by Park Rangers if they are nearby and available. Secondly permits can be issued to community- based ranger groups or landowners to deal with the problem animal. Thirdly police officers can be instructed to shoot a problem animal.

Captured crocodiles close to large population centres are purchased by crocodile farms. Crocodiles captured under a ‘Permit to Take’ will be counted against the ceiling for wild harvest. Problem crocodiles removed by Northern Territory Government staff are not counted against the ceiling for wild harvested crocodiles.

In some areas, such as around Darwin, the Katherine River near Katherine and designated swimming areas in National Parks (e.g. Wangi Falls in Litchfield National Park), anyC. porosus, regardless of size, is considered a problem animal. These areas are intensivelymanaged through an active trapping and surveillance program to maintain a very low crocodile density (Table 4). All areas subject to intensive management and the associated management actions will be identified in the ‘CROCWISE’ plan.

Dealing with problem crocodiles needs to be expeditious. It can be done in accordance with the requirements for problem crocodile management.

Darwin Harbour and the Katherine River have detailed management strategies with defined zones and specific management actions to remove crocodiles. The current Darwin Harbour Crocodile Management Area extends from Charles Point to the west to Tree Point to the east


including Darwin Harbour, Shoal Bay and their estuaries. The existing level of control based largely on permanent traps and spotlight surveillance will be maintained. Additionally, due to increasing residential living in the Darwin rural area, an expanded ‘Darwin Crocodile Management Zone’ will be established and will include identified high risk areas in the entire Darwin Harbour catchment and eastwards to the Adelaide River (Figure 4).This newly defined zone will encompass the Darwin rural area. Additional increased public safety measures to be implemented in the Darwin rural area will include:• an increased intensity of trapping;• increased surveillance of receding water bodies as the dry season approaches to ensure

no crocodiles are left behind;• increase the monitoring on the Adelaide river to annual surveys;• developing a monitoring program for the Darwin rural freshwater areas; and• improved community awareness of living with crocodiles (see 4.5).

Crocodiles can move into the Darwin rural area from several sources but the predominant source is likely to be the Adelaide River and associated floodplains. The extent of culling that would be required in the Adelaide River to reduce the risk level in the Darwin rural area would be an extensive number of animals. Even with this order of culling, the risk remains as animals will move with floodwaters and can also move into the area from other sources. Such a broad scale culling option is not ethical, practical or cost effective.



Table 4: Summary of current key Saltwater Crocodile management actions across the Top End

Management Actions by Northern Territory Government

Park / Town Site Permanent traps

Traps when water flow

allows

Additional Traps as required

Regular spot lighting

Spot lighting before opening for swimming

Visual inspections

Water level and clarity criteria for opening

Other management tools (eg. floats)

Litchfield NP Wangi Falls Y N/A Y N Y daily Yrespond to public sightings -

additional traps if required indicator float installed

Berri Springs salt water / fresh water

Y N/A Y Y Y daily Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required

Litchfield NP Sandy CreekFalls N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings -

additional traps if required

Litchfield NP Surprise CreekFalls N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings -


Litchfield NP Florence Falls N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings - additional traps if required

Manton Damwesternboundary and spillway

Y N/A Y Y not closed weekly N/A respond to public sightings - additional traps if required

Darwin Harbour/ Shoal Bay

19 permanenttraps between Woods Inlet and Hope Inlet

Y N/A Y Y N

weekly trap runmore regularly if crocs reported in

traps

N/A respond to public sightings - additional traps if required

NhulunbuySki beach, Yacht club and Town Billabong

Y N/A Y N N/A

weekly trap run more regularly ifcrocs reported

in traps

N/A respond to public sightings - additional traps if required

Lake Bennett Lake Bennett Private lake /own traps N/A Y Y Y

Up to LakeBennett

managementN/A Indicator floats & barrier fencing

Douglas HotSprings

Douglas HotSprings N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings -


Butterfly Gorge Main Pool andCreek N N Y N Y N Y respond to public sightings -

additional traps if requiredDouglas DalyTourist Park Douglas River N Y Y N By DDTP

ManagementN Y respond to public sightings -



Park / Town Site Permanent traps

Traps when water flow

allows

Additional Traps as required

Regular spot lighting

Spot lighting before opening for swimming

Visual inspections

Water level and clarity criteria for opening

Other management tools (eg. floats)

Darwin RiverDam

Dam In process N/A Y Y N/A N N/A respond to sightings by PAWAstaff

NitmilukGorge Y Y Y Y Y daily Y Respond to public sightings.

Aerial Survey / FloatsLeilyn Y Y Y Y daily Respond to public sightings

Flora NP Entire Park Y Y NA weekly N/A Swimming Not Allowed / Aerialsurvey / Floats

Elsey NP

12 mile Y Y Y Y weekly Y Aerial survey / FloatsWaterhouselanding

Y Y Y weekly Y Aerial Survey

Four Mile Y Y Y weekly Y Aerial Survey

Borroloola

Rocky CreekBoat Ramp Y Y Y N/A weekly N/A

Swimming not recommended/allowed. Saltwater

crocodiles present.

Town Ramp Y Y Y NA weekly N/ASwimming not

recommended/allowed. Saltwater crocodiles present

Katherine River Low level toGorge

Y Y Y Floats


Management Actions by Australian Government in Kakadu National Park

Site Permanen t traps

Traps when

water flow allows

Traps as required

Other capture

and removal methods

Extra traps as required for target

areas

Regular spot

lighting

Spot lighting before

opening for

swimming

Regular / weekly

inspections

Detection devices

Croc detection barriers

Other management tools (e.g. floats)

Acting on and

investigating visitor and resident reported sightings

Jim JimFalls Y N Y N Y Y

Floats maintained at

various locations

Installed as required once

water levels drop

Free baits (usually pig legs) installed as required at sandy

bank areas for croc track detection

Y

Twin Falls Y N Y N Y Y


various locations

Croc track detection barriers

installed as required across

creek

Free baits installed as required at sandy


Y

Maguk Y N Y N Y Y


various locations



creek



Y

Gunlom Y N Y N Y Y


various locations



creek



Y

Koolpin Y N Y N Y Y


various locations



creek



Y

MolineRockhole

N N Y N N Y Y Y

Jabiru Lake N N Y Harpoon Y Intermittent spotlighting Y

Managem:2nt Prog amforth2 Salt.\l'ater CrocodiQ in the N:lrthem Territory

34

I Parks and Reserves

Darwin Catchment

crocodile Management zone Boundary

Figure 4: Expanded DarwinCrocodile ManagememZone The new expanded area is defined as the wast bank at the Adelaide River to the western catchment boundary at the Darwin Harbour catchment.Existing managemert adions as listedin Table 4 v.i/1be mairtained and additional high risk areas v.i/1be identified and be subjeded to irtensive managemert actions designed to keep crocod1!es to a very .t>w densyin those high risk areas.


The capture and handling of problem crocodiles must comply with the Animal Welfare Act and theCode of Practice.


Issue permits to remove problem crocodiles as necessary and appropriate.

Maintain the program to remove all crocodiles in designated ‘Intensively Managed’ zones.

PWC responds to reports of problem crocodiles and implements appropriate managementmeasures.

Re-define the Darwin Harbour ‘Intensively Managed’ zone to include high risk areas of the entire catchment and include the waterways of the Darwin rural area (as per Figure 4).

4.6 Community awareness and participation

The public profile of crocodiles and crocodile management in the Northern Territory is high, particularly for the Saltwater Crocodile. Maintaining effective communication links between government agencies, industry stakeholders, regional land management and conservation groups, and the wider community is an important component for the success of this program. Effective communication structures are also essential for adaptive management and incorporating feedback from industry and community groups into future management policies and practices for crocodiles in the Northern Territory. The community must be well informed about safe behaviours in livingwith crocodiles. Market research will be conducted to assess the best methods to target all sectorsof the community. A communication plan about living with crocodiles that takes into account any recommendations from the market research will be developed and implemented.

The Northern Territory Government promotes crocodile awareness among residents and visitors to the Territory by disseminating educational information. Public awareness campaigns will continue to be conducted at regular planned intervals coinciding with the onset of the tourism season and the build-up/wet season to help minimise harmful interactions between people and crocodiles. A high profile campaign, similar to the cyclone preparedness community campaign will use the web and the media to ensure messages about safe behaviour are effectively conveyed to both locals and visitors. Local events such as the show circuit, tour guides, park visitor centres, and park ranger talks are avenues to further disseminate messages in a face to face setting.Signs at popular water entry points and info TV are other valuable means of informing peopleabout reducing risks with crocodiles. Media and tourism marketers also need to be well informed so they convey a consistent key message about living with crocodiles. The Northern Territory Government will also promote relevant legislation, policy and guidelines to the commercial crocodile industry and wider community via promotion of this management program, relevant factsheets, and through the Northern Territory Government permit system.


Continue to conduct public awareness, safety and educational message campaigns through Northern Territory Government staff, effective use of the media and on the Northern Territory Government website.

Conduct market research to assess the best communication methods for targeting and informing all sectors of the community about living safely with crocodiles.

Develop and implement a public safety communication plan.


Objective 3 - To ensure humane treatment of Saltwater Crocodiles

4.7 Animal welfare

The Code recommends a number of methods for capture of wild crocodiles, including traps, snares, hooks, nets, harpooning and shooting. Harvesting, capture of problem crocodiles and farming of C. porosus must be in accordance with the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act and with the Code of Practice.

Compliance with the Code of Practice will be a condition of all permits issued to take and/or keep crocodiles and hence enforcement is achieved through the TPWC Act. Compliance with the Code of Practice for harvests will be enforced by DLRM and PWC staff and in the case of farms by DPIF staff. Farms will be inspected by Northern Territory Government Animal Welfare officers to ensure animal welfare standards are met. An indication of a decrease in animal welfare standards or a suspected breach of the Animal Welfare Act will result in an inspection. Non-compliance with the Animal Welfare Act or the Code of Practice may result in an infringement notice, the permit being revoked and/or prosecution under either the Animal Welfare Act or the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation (TWPC) Act.

All crocodile farms are regularly visited by DPIF staff and welfare standards are monitored during these visits.


Ensure the requirements of the Code of Practice are a condition on all permits and that a copy of the Code is distributed to all new permit holders.

Ensure all successful permit applicants are competent to comply with the relevant animal welfare standards.

Ensure all crocodile farms meet animal welfare standards.

Inspect farms regularly to ensure animal welfare standards are met.

Investigate and take appropriate action on any suspected breaches of the Animal WelfareAct or the Code of Practice.

Objective 4 - To monitor and report on the impact of the harvest ofSaltwater Crocodiles

4.8 Monitoring

Population estimates

Spotlight surveys over selected river systems within the Northern Territory (Figure 5) provide indices of the density and size structure of crocodile populations and are the standard method of monitoring for C. porosus (Messel et al. 1981; Stirrat et al. 2001). The surveys include counts of the 0-2 foot (0-0.6m) size class which is accepted as equating to hatchlings (less than one year old) and so provides a measure of recruitment from the last nesting season. The key riversmonitored under this program are highly productive rivers where most crocodile harvesting occurs;that have been surveyed using the spotlight technique in the past; and for which long-term datasets are available (Appendix 3).

The spotlight monitoring program focuses on the following rivers:


Adelaide River – This major river has the largest ongoing egg collection in the harvest program. The catchment contains two important areas; Melacca Swamp where long-term monitoring data has been collected and Djukbinj National Park, which is jointly managed between the Traditional owners and the Parks and Wildlife Service.

Mary River – This is a river with a particularly high density of large crocodiles. Much of the surveyed section of this river is freshwater. The freshwater sections of this river provide valuable management information about the ecology and population dynamics of crocodiles infreshwater.

Daly River – Floodplains in the Daly River are subject to substantial egg harvest.

Arnhem Land rivers – Significant harvests of eggs occur in these areas, where there is an ongoing commitment by Aboriginal landholders to a variety of sustainable use projects. It includes the Liverpool, Tomkinson, Cadell, Blyth, and Glyde Rivers.

In addition to data collected from these rivers by the Northern Territory Government, data from the East, South and West Alligator Rivers and the Wildman River, collected by Parks Australia staff provide additional data on the status of populations in Kakadu National Park. The South Alligator and West Alligators River are unique in the data set because they are not subject to any form of harvesting. All other major rivers in the Northern Territory do have some form of harvesting. The data from the South Alligator River can be analysed to interpret whether any major reduction is due to harvesting or some other independent factor (e.g. climate change).

Timing and frequency of surveys

A review of the crocodile-monitoring program in 1999 indicated that the spotlight technique is a reliable method for monitoring populations and is more reliable than helicopter surveys (Stirrat et al. 2001). Webb et al. (2000) also concluded that spotlight counts were more precise and accurate than helicopter counts. Using the spotlight technique, a decline of 10% in the crocodile population (in a river where residual variation in the data is relatively low) can be detected with considerable confidence (power of around 80-90%) in around four to five years with annual surveys and seven to eight years with biennial surveys (Stirrat et al. 2001). In the reviewprocess a level of 10% was regarded as relevant to the management program in the Northern Territory. Declines of greater than 10% would be picked up in a shorter period. Data collected to date suggest that the impact of egg and adult harvesting has been minimal. Given these considerations a biennial survey regime has been implemented except for the Adelaide River which will be monitored annually. Every year, half the rivers are surveyed so that each river is surveyed on a biennial basis. Other individual rivers may be surveyed as necessary and appropriate.

Analysis of survey data

The crocodile monitoring program uses existing knowledge of the variation in data from a particular river to detect any declining trends in numbers or biomass (Appendix 3). There is inherent variability in both the survey results and the fluctuations of the crocodile population which are independent of harvesting. Survey data from each of the monitored rivers will be analysed to detect any significant population decline.


If survey results show a declining trend, the population in that river would be resurveyed in each of the following two years (rather than on a biennial basis) to check the validity of the low values. If these population declines continue for three consecutive years, management intervention will be considered, possibly in the form of reducing or stopping harvests and/or restocking. The change in the management of that river will be maintained until survey data suggest harvesting can continue. If declining trends are detected in more than one river in a regional catchment (Figure 3) then the management interventions will be applied across the regional catchment. There are some regional catchments that do not have monitored rivers. If declining trends are detected across an adjoining regional catchment then management interventions will be applied in the non-monitored regional catchment.

The monitored rivers are generally highly productive and therefore in the most heavily harvested regional catchments. Because of high environmental variability, sporadic outlying data survey points have occurred in the past. Therefore, the Northern Territory Government will not ban harvesting based on the survey results of only one year. This is because outlying survey results are more likely to be related to variations in temperature and tidal conditions than to a change in population size.


Continue the population survey program as stipulated in this management program.

Analyse and assess the results of the survey program and implement any resultingmanagement recommendations.

Figure 5: Rivers surveyed to monitor Saltwater Crocodile populations in the NT.

Commercial harvest

Information on the crocodile harvest (size and sex of non-hatchling crocodiles, numbers of total, live and viable eggs) is obtained through harvest returns submitted by permit holders. Harvest


figures will also be considered in combination with numbers removed through other means (e.g. non-commercial destruction), and with environmental conditions that may impact on population size and structure (e.g. drought and habitat changes).

4.9 Reporting

Crocodile farms

All Northern Territory crocodile farms are visited by DPIF staff on a regular basis for the purposes of inspection and certification of crocodiles and crocodile products for trade and disease investigations. During these visits DPIF staff monitor for compliance with animal welfare standards. Designated Northern Territory Government Animal Welfare officers may conduct an animal welfare investigation at any time in response to a complaint. Hatchlings are audited annually. See sections 4.2 and 4.7 for performance indicators and Appendix 2 for a summary of responsibilities.

Auditing and reporting

The Management Program will be audited internally by the Northern Territory Government(DLRM, PWC and DPIF) on an annual basis. The performance indicators listed in this program will be audited and assessed annually by program management staff. The Northern Territory Government will provide annual reports to the Australian Government. Additionally there will be an annual summary of activities against the performance indicators placed on the Departmental internet site. The annual report will include:• Progress against performance indicators;• Harvest statistics including:

- Number of crocodile eggs taken;- Number of crocodile hatchlings taken;- Number of crocodile juveniles taken;- Number of crocodile adults taken- Sex ratio of harvest (adults only);- Average body size of harvested animals for each sex.

• Number of permits issued for problem crocodile removal and details of the fate of each crocodile covered under those permits;

• Number and location of problem crocodiles removed by PWC and the fate of each crocodile;and

• Industry compliance statistics including:- Number of premises inspected;- Number of caution notices issued and reason for issue;- Number of alleged offences investigated and their outcomes; and- Any joint surveillance/enforcement activities completed with other agencies.


Annually audit the progress of the Management Program against each of the performance indicators and adjust management practices as necessary.

Submit annual progress report to the Australian Government and provide a summary on theNorthern Territory Government website.


Review of the management program

The 2014–2015 program will be fully reviewed at the end of 2015 or sooner as required under section 32(2) of the TPWC Act. The detail included in this management program in relation to management actions, legislation and administrative arrangements is current as at February2014.

It is not proposed that the management program will be rewritten should there be changes to management actions, legislation and administrative arrangements during the life of the program unless any such changes are so significant that the Northern Territory Government and Australian Government agree that a new program is required. The Australian Government willbe advised of any changes to this program.

Performance Indicator

Review and update the Management Program by 2015.

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1 To avoid repetition all references in the Appendices have been included here.


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Appendix 1: Saltwater Crocodile BackgroundInformation

Crocodylus porosus

Conservation status

N or t hern T err i tory (Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act): Protected species but not listed as threatened.A u s tra li a (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC Act): Marine protectedspecies but not listed as threatened.I nt e rnat i onal (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)): Appendix IIfor the Australian population. Australia is a party to CITES, and with the EPBC Act ensuring that its obligations are discharged.

Distribution

Crocodylus. porosus are found from Sri Lanka and the east coast of India in the west to the Caroline Islands in the east and from Myanmar and south-east Asia in the north to Australia in the south. C. porosus inhabit coastal rivers and swamps, the open sea and island shorelines, and their distribution extends well inland via major rivers and floodplain billabongs into freshwater rivers, creeks and swamps.

In Australia, C. porosus occur in high densities in the tidal portions of some mangrove-lined rivers; particularly those associated with extensive freshwater wetlands or floodplains.C. porosus may therefore occur in any salt or fresh water within their range. Detailed descriptions of C. porosus habitats within the Northern Territory are available in Letnic and Connors 2006; Messel et al. 1981; Magnusson 1980; Magnusson et al. 1978; Magnusson and Taylor 1980; Webb et al. 1977 1983; and Usback and James 1993.


Figure 1: The distribution of Crocodylus porosus in Australia (Source: Cogger 1993 modified).

Ecology

Cogger (1993) provides a general description of Crocodilia; Grigg and Gans (1993), Cooper- Preston and Jenkins (1993) and Molnar (1993) discuss morphology, physiology, natural history, biogeography and phylogeny. Detailed discussion of many topics concerning crocodile biology may be found in Webb et al. (1987).

Considerable research has been conducted into the biology and status of C. porosus in northern Australia, particularly in the Northern Territory. Their biology, population dynamics, recovery since protection and management have been the subject of intensive research efforts over the last 30 years, the details of which are contained in a variety of publications (e.g. Bayliss and Messel 1990; Burbridge 1987; Messel et al. 1981; Messel and Vorlicek 1985, 1986; Taplin 1987,1990; Webb et al. 1984, 1987; Webb and Manolis 1989, 1993).


Table 1: Summary of the biological characteristics of C. porosus (Source: Webb andManolis 1993 and citations therein)

Characteristic C. porosusBiologySize and age at sexual maturity (males) 3.3 m; 16 yrsSize and age at sexual maturity (females) 2.3 m; 12 yrsNormal maximum length (males) 4.6-5.2 mNormal maximum length (females) 3.1-3.4 mMaximum length (males) 6-7 mMaximum body weight 900-1500 kgNesting Season; months Wet Season; Nov.-May.Duration of egg laying 28 weeksMean clutch size; (range) 50.0 (2-78)Mean egg weight; (range) 113.0 g (65-147)Mean hatchling weightEgg incubation time (days)

69.4 g75 (at 33oC)-106 (at 29oC)

Nest defence Common

Nesting ecology

Saltwater Crocodiles breed during in the wet season between October and May. Females construct a mound of grasses and reeds that is typically located close to permanent water. Freshwater swamps near tidal rivers and saltmarsh habitats are the most frequently used nesting habitats (Webb et al. 1984; Webb & Manolis 1989). Mangrove swamps can also be used for nesting. The extent and timing of nesting is related to rainfall and water levels in the late dry season (Webb 1991). Years with high rainfall and cool conditions between August and November are associated with high nesting effort. Conversely, years with poor rainfall and hot conditions between August and November are associated with low nesting effort (Webb 1991).

The typical clutch size of C. porosus is approximately 50 eggs. The size of the clutch is proportional to the size of the individual female. The clutch of first-time breeders is normally around 30 eggs. Large crocodiles also produce larger eggs than smaller crocodiles (Webb & Manolis 1989). Around 6.5% of the eggs laid are infertile (Webb & Manolis 1989). There is a high mortality of Crocodylus porosus eggs with flooding being the major cause of deaths as it may kill over 50% of the eggs laid each year (Webb & Manolis 1989).

Survivorship and population dynamics

There is a high mortality rate of crocodiles from egg to maturity. Webb and Manolis 1993 estimated rates of survival for several size classes of C. porosus in the wild: approximately 30% of eggs usually hatch; 12% of hatchlings survive to one year; 85% of one year old crocodiles survive to two years; 85% of two year olds survive to three years of age; 85% of three year olds survive to four years of age; 85% of four year olds survive to five years of age. It follows that about 6 crocodiles would survive to five years from 1,000 eggs laid. The actual rates of survival between age five and maturity have never been established. Webb and Manolis (1993) speculated that less than one per cent survive to breed. The survival rate of mature animals is unknown.


In the wild, females normally reach maturity at 2.3 m total length and approximately 12 years of age. Males mature at around 3.3 m and about 16 years of age. The normal maximum size of C. porosus is around 4.6 to 5.2 m for males and 3.1 to 3.4 m for females. Individual C. porosus may live for more than 70 years (Webb and Manolis 1989).

Diet

The diets of C. porosus vary with the size of individuals. Hatchlings feed mainly on small crabs, prawns and insects (Webb and Manolis 1989). Crabs and prawns are the major food items in tidal rivers for crocodiles up to 2 m long. With increasing size, crocodiles feed on a greater variety of food items and the diet of crocodiles over 2 m long includes fish, crabs, turtles, birds and mammals. Large prey such as cattle and horses are eaten only by the largest of crocodiles. Large crocodiles will also scavenge.


Appendix 2: Farm Management

Farm Biosecurity

Farms are advised to follow the Biosecurity plan available from DPIF. Any signs of illness, disease outbreak or unusual deaths should be reported as soon as possible to DPIF. The crocodile industry will be alerted to any possible disease problems and a disease investigation will be undertaken if needed. In the event of an emergency crocodile disease outbreak, the Biosecurity plan would be mandated under the Livestock Act for the period of the emergency animal disease response.

Farm Security

Farms are required to have secure fencing, capable of containing crocodiles, as a condition on the permit to keep and trade. Fences and enclosures must be maintained to ensure animals cannot escape. PWC will check farm security annually as part of the process for renewing permits.

Farm Data and Audit Validation

Each month farms will submit stock data to DPIF to validate and collate before it is submitted to DLRM each year. Individual farm performance data will be compared with Northern Territory industry averages and provided to individual farms.

DPIF will validate monthly returns using annual physical audits for hatchlings and will also conduct random spot audits for all other class of animal on the farm. Hatchlings will be audited each year by hand counting all animals gained for that current year on the farm when they are transferred to raising/yearling class pens.

Farm Visitation

Farms will be visited by DPIF under the powers of the Livestock Act to ensure animal welfare, farm biosecurity, inspection of shipments, animal audits, disease investigation and any other related matter. Farms will be visited by DLRM AND PWC to ensure that farms meet the conditions stated on the Permit to Keep, investigate any wildlife breaches and other related matters.

Animal Welfare

Animal welfare on all crocodile farms will continue to comply with the Animal Welfare Act and follow the Code of Practice on the Humane Treatment of Wild and Farmed Australian Crocodiles as stated in this Management Program. Animal welfare on farms will be enforced by DPIF as animal welfare inspectors under the Animal Welfare Act.

Farm Workers OH&S

Workers on all crocodile farms that have duties involving handling crocodiles or being in close contact with crocodiles must meet the relevant Northern Territory OH&S legislation.

Farmer Responsibilities

The responsibilities of farms are detailed in Table 1.


Table 1: Stakeholder Responsibilities in the Saltwater Crocodile Management Program2014-2015

Stakeholder ResponsibilitiesDepartment of LandResource Management

• Assess applications and issue permits as appropriate.• Ensure compliance with permit conditions.• Collate annual report to the Australian Government.• Compare wild egg collection data with farm hatchling data each year.• Review the Management program for the Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus

porosus) in the Northern Territory of Australia.Parks and WildlifeCommission

• Remove and dispose of problem crocodiles from agreed intensively managedareas.

• Assess applications and issue permits as appropriate.• Ensure compliance with permit conditions.• Issue permits for domestic shipments of live crocodiles from farms within 10

working days.Department of PrimaryIndustries and Fisheries

• Ensure monthly returns from crocodile farms are submitted and collated.• Process applications for permits to import/export crocodile skins and products

both overseas and domestic within 2 business days of application.• Inspect crocodile skins and products for export and process appropriate

paperwork.• Annually audit the hatchlings on each farm to validate data in the monthly

returns.• Visit farms to ensure animal welfare standards are being met.• Ensure production data from monthly returns is collated, validated and

passed on to DLRM annually.• Ensure each crocodile farm is given confidential feedback every 6 months on

their farm production performance compared with the Northern Territory industry average.

• Ensure the supply, payment and issue of skin tags for crocodile skins fortrade.

• Investigate breaches in trade conditions or illegal trade of crocodilian skins orproducts.

• Implement the Biosecurity plan in the event of an emergency crocodiledisease outbreak


Stakeholder ResponsibilitiesNorthern Territory CrocodileFarming Industry

• Comply with all permit conditions.• Submit production returns to DPIF each month.• Ensure animal welfare standards are being met in accordance with the

Animal Welfare Act and the Code of Practice.• During an emergency disease outbreak comply with the Biosecurity plan.• Ensure worker safety is not comprised by adhering to appropriate Workplace

Health and Safety requirements.• Assist DPIF and/or DLRM to annually audit hatchlings.• Submit applications for permits to import/export crocodile shipments both

domestically and overseas to DPIF, at least two business days before the date needed.

• Ensure applications for inspections on shipment dates are lodged with DPIFat least 10 working days in advance.

• Ensure that a CITES permit has been issued and that CITES permit numbersare available for overseas shipments of crocodile skins and products.

• Ensure that permit applications to remove live crocodiles from farms aresubmitted to PWC at least ten working days before the desired transport date.

• Ensure an application to renew the commercial permit to keep and trade forthe farm is submitted to PWC before the current permit expires.

• Submit any application(s) to DLRM to harvest wild eggs by 31 August eachyear.

• Submit completed egg collection returns for the season to DLRM by 31 Julyeach year.


Appendix 3: Saltwater Crocodile Densities In TheRivers Monitored In The Northern TerritorySpotlight survey data are used to estimate the relative density of crocodiles on individual rivers (usually tidal mainstream sections) as an index of the total crocodile population in the catchment. The density is calculated in terms of the abundance (sighting) and biomass (kg) of crocodiles per kilometre of a river surveyed. Three candidate regression models (linear, exponential and logistic) are then fitted to approximate the pattern of population growth for each river.

For each river the fit of each model is compared to determine the model that best describes the population growth pattern using model selection parameters of Akaike’s information criterion corrected (AICc), difference in AICc (∆i), and Akaike weight (wi). The smaller the AICc a model shows, the more support the model is considered to have. If a model has small∆i (<2), it is generally considered highly supported (Burnham and Anderson 2002). Thestrength of evidence that a model is the best in a set is measured by wi (%).

The following graphs plot non-hatchling crocodile density for each river with the model lines fitted. Details of the model selection parameters are provided in the table following the graphs.

The sighting density of crocodiles for two of the eight rivers, includes those with intensive harvesting (the Adelaide and Mary Rivers), most strongly support the logistic model (Figure1, Table 1). This suggests that the populations have been stabilising in recent years and areapproaching carrying capacity in these rivers. Five of the six remaining rivers are still increasing either linearly or exponentially due to large variation in natural habitat quality (e.g. availability of nesting sites) that also contributes to the large variation in density between rivers. Sampling error is not taken into account.

The biomass density supports a logistic increase in two of the eight rivers (Figure 2, Table 2). This suggests that the size of individuals has been stabilising in recent years and is approaching carrying capacity in these rivers. Again, the large variation in density between rivers is attributable to varying habitat quality (e.g. the Mary River is known to have an unusually high density with large-sized animals) rather than an impact of harvesting as they show the same trends as the control rivers.

Monitoring is also carried out in four rivers in Kakadu National Park. These rivers are considered “control” rivers as two (West Alligator and South Alligator Rivers) have no harvesting and two (Wildman and East Alligator Rivers) have harvesting only on the bank outside the Kakadu National Park boundary. Data for the Wildman, West Alligator, South Alligator and East Alligator Rivers collected by Parks Australia North in Kakadu National Park has not been available to DLRM since 2008. Results for these rivers are not shown as the data to 2008 is no longer considered “current” and should not be used to determine current population trends.

Non

-hat

chlin

g de

nsity

(sig

htin

g/km

)N

on-h

atch

ling

dens

ity (s

ight

ing/

km)

Non

-hat

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g de

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(si

ghtin

g/km

)0

12

34

56

05

1015

01

23

45

6

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)N

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24

68

01

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02

46

8


Figure 1: Abundance density (sighting/km) plots with data up to 2013 (Adelaide, Daly & Mary) and 2012 (ArnhemLand).

Adelaide River Daly River

10 20 30 40

Years since protection (1971)10 20 30 40

Years since protection (1971)

Mary River Liverpool River

15 20 25 30 35 40



Tomkinson River Cadell River

10 20 30 40

Years since protection (1971)10 20 30 40Years since protection (1971)

Non

-hat

chlin

g de

nsity

(sig

htin

g/km

)N

on-h

atch

ling

dens

ity (

sigh

ting/

km)

01

23

45

60

24

68


Blyth River

10 20 30 40


Glyde River

10 20 30 40



Table 1: Results of model selection fitted to the abundance density data. N = number of years surveyed, -- Not converged.

River Year (N) Model AICc ∆i wi

Adelaide River 1977-2013 (29)Logistic 52.72 0.00 0.84

Exponential 58.48 5.77 0.05Linear 56.68 3.97 0.12

Daly River 1978-2013 (24)Logistic 46.85 3.23 0.11


Mary River (Sampan Creek) 1984-2013 (20)Logistic 69.49 0.00 1.00


Liverpool River 1976-2012 (29)Logistic 42.62 1.55 0.23


Tomkinson River 1976-2012 (28)Logistic -- -- --


Blyth River 1975-2012 (31)Logistic 81.78 2.20 0.16


Cadell River 1975-2012 (31)Logistic -- -- --


Glyde River 1975-2012 (13)Logistic 29.72 3.66 0.11


Non

-hat

chlin

g de

nsity

(kg/

km)

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(kg/

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(kg/

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050

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000

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(kg/

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050

100

150

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5020

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020

040

060

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00


Figure 2: Biomass density (kg/km) plots with data up to 2004 (Daly), 2007 (Mary, Kakadu) and 2008 (Adelaide, Arnhem)

Adelaide River Daly River

10 20 30 40



Mary River Liverpool River

15 20 25 30 35 40



Tomkinson River Cadell River

10 20 30 40



Non

-hat

chlin

g de

nsity

(kg/

km)

010

020

030

040

0

Non

-hat

chlin

g de

nsity

(kg/

km)

050

1001

5020

0250

300


Blyth River Glyde River

10 20 30 40




Table 2: Results of model selection fitted to the biomass density data. N = number of years surveyed, -- Not converged.

River Year (N) Model AICc ∆i wi

Adelaide River 1977-2013 (29)Logistic -- -- --


Daly River 1978-2013 (24)Logistic -- -- --


Mary River (Sampan Creek) 1984-2013 (20)Logistic 276.14 1.12 0.35


Liverpool River 1976-2012 (28)Logistic -- -- --


Tomkinson River 1976-2012 (28)Logistic -- -- --


Blyth River 1975-2012 (30)Logistic 323.48 0.00 0.62


Cadell River 1975-2012 (30)Logistic 290.49 0.00 0.89


Glyde River 1975-2012 (12)Logistic 142.65 3.99 0.08



Appendix 4: Annual Milestone Matrix for 2014-2015 Program

MilestoneProgram

ReferenceActionOfficer 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/161

Objective 1 - To facilitate the sustainable use of Saltwater CrocodilesEnsure all harvest permits minimise the possible negative impact on or conflict with tourism, social or cultural interests.

4.1 Restrictions on live animal harvesting.

Director, WildlifeUse Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing

Develop and implement a GIS database to assist with both allocation of eggs and monitoring harvest effort and compliance.

4.1 Harvest ceilings.

Director, WildlifeUse Commence

Investigate and take appropriate action on all suspected local impacts on the population.


Director, WildlifeUse

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Instigate adaptive management actions should there be any increased threats to the Saltwater Crocodile and their habitat.



Ongoing, review review review review review review review

Ensure the harvest ceiling is set in accordance with the provisions of this management program.



July - September

July – September

July – September

July – September

July - September

July - September

Assess all permit applications and ensure egg allocation is distributed across harvest regions in accordance with the provisions of this management program.

4.1 Harvest ceilings


September - October

September– October



September- October

September- October

Ensure that the annual commercial harvest of Saltwater Crocodiles does not exceed the approved ceiling for each category.

4.2 Permits and compliance.


July - September

July – September

July – September

July – September

July - September

July - September

Assess applications and issue permits under the TPWC Act.



Monitor and audit harvest applications, approvals and returns and investigate and resolve any discrepancies.



Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review


Milestone ProgramReference

ActionOfficer 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/161

Ensure all permit applications have correct landholder approval.



Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ongoing, review

Ensure monthly farm stock returns comply with permit conditions and are reported half yearly to farms and NRETAS.

4.2 Permits and compliance DPIF Ongoing,

reviewOngoing,

reviewOngoing,

reviewOngoing,

reviewOngoing,

reviewOngoing,

reviewOngoing,

review

Audit farm hatchlings annually. 4.2 Permits and compliance DPIF annually annually annually annually annually annually annually

Objective 1 - To facilitate the sustainable use of Saltwater Crocodiles cont.Ensure compliance with the issue of skin tags and permits.

4.2 Permits and compliance DPIF

Conduct random checks on farm stock numbers.

4.2 Permits and compliance DPIF Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing

Review permit conditions annually and amend where necessary.



July - September

July – September

July – September

July – September

July - September

July - September

Ensure compliance with permit conditions is at or near 100% and addressing permit breaches through warning letters, caution notices, infringement notices or prosecution is at or near 100%.


Director, WildlifeUse annually annually annually annually annually annually annually

Review and analyse available data to describe changes to Saltwater Crocodile populations and their distribution and publish the outcomes as appropriate.

4.3 Management- focused research.


Develop population/harvest simulation models to provide an additional decision support tool to assess harvest options and possible harvest impacts at different spatial scales.

4.3 Management- focused research.



Milestone ProgramReference Action Officer 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/161

Objective 2 - To promote community awareness and public safetyAnalyse the risk of areas where human interaction with crocodiles may occur and prepare options for the appropriate level of management actions.

RiskAssessment


Analyse problem crocodile capture data to assess trends and identify areas of increasing risk to humans.

RiskAssessment


Develop and implement a ‘CROCWISE’ plan to educate and heighten the awareness of the dangers of crocodiles in the Northern Territory’s waterways.

RiskAssessment

Marketing andCommunications Commence

Issue permits to remove problem crocodiles as necessary and appropriate.

4.4 Removal of problem

crocodiles.


Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Maintain the program to remove all crocodiles in designated ‘Intensively Managed’ zones.


crocodiles.


NRETAS responds to reports of problem crocodiles and implements appropriate management measures.


crocodiles.


Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Re-define the Darwin Harbour ‘Intensively Managed’ zone to include high risk areas of the entire catchment and include the waterways of the Darwin rural area.


crocodiles.


Continue to conduct public awareness, safety and educational message campaigns through Northern Territory Government staff, effective use of the media and on the Northern Territory Government website.

4.5 Community awareness and participation.


Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs



Conduct market research to assess the best communication methods for targeting and informing all sectors of the community about living safely with crocodiles.

4.5 Community awareness and

participation

Marketing andCommunications Commence Ongoing,

as needsOngoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Develop and implement a public safety communication plan.

4.5 Community awareness and

participation

Marketing andCommunications Commence Ongoing,

as needsOngoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Ongoing, as needs

Objective 3 - To ensure humane treatment of Saltwater CrocodilesEnsure the requirements of the Code of Practice are a condition on all permits and that a copy of the Code is distributed to all new permit holders

4.6 Animal welfare


Ensure all successful permit applicants are competent to comply with the relevant animal welfare standards.

4.6 Animal welfare


July - September

July – September

July – September

July – September

July - September

July - September

Ensure all crocodile farms meet animal welfare standards.

4.6 Animal welfare DPIF Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing

Inspect farms regularly to ensure animal welfare standards are met.

4.6 Animal welfare DPIF Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing Ongoing

Investigate and take appropriate action on any suspected breaches of the Animal Welfare Act or the Code of Practice.

4.6 Animal welfare


Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Ongoing as needs

Objective 4 - To monitor and report on the impact of the harvest of Saltwater CrocodilesContinue the population survey program for Saltwater Crocodiles as stipulated in this program.

4.7 Monitoring Director, WildlifeUse

Commence June-

September

Review June-

September

Review June-

September

Review June-

September

Review June-

September

Review June-

SeptemberAnalyse and assess the results of the survey program and implement any resulting management recommendations.

4.7 Monitoring Director, WildlifeUse

July - September

July – September

July – September

July – September

July - September

July - September


Annually audit the progress of the Management Program against each of the performance indicators and adjust management practices as necessary.

4.8 Reporting Director, WildlifeUse March March March March March March

Submit annual reports to the Australian Government and provide a summary on the Northern Territory Government website.

4.8 Reporting Director, WildlifeUse October October October October October October

Review and update the Management program by 2014. 4.8 Reporting Director, Wildlife

Use commence complete

1 Plan provides approval up to 31 December 2015

Documents

Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile … · Web viewManagement Program for the Saltwater Crocodile in the Northern Territory39 Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile