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Day 20: Cairns, Australia
October 11, 2005

Well, I'm back in Cairns now, and I've got a few more days until my flight back to NYC. I've arranged for several rainforest hikes during these last few days. But since I didn't get to see any wild crocodiles or snakes (that were still alive), I've paid a visit to the Cairns Tropical Zoo. Here are the shots...

An Inland Taipan: One drop of his venom can kill 50 men.

 


The Snake Guy at Cairns Tropical Zoo.
(We had a good chat.)

 
 
This type of crocodile is called a "Freshie". He lives in rivers and streams and estuaries. He gets about 8 feet long, and is easily identified by his narrow snout, which is built for catching fish. He seldomly attacks humans. (He is often eaten by the other type of crocodile that lives here: the "Saltie" or Marine Crocodile.)
 
     
 
This is the Saltie. He lives in rivers and estuaries and often swims out to islands to fish off the reefs. He is VERY agressive and can get up to 25 feet long. They are stealthy hunters, often flatening themselves down and remaining underwater for 2 hours near beaches and shallows, waiting for their prey to make the fatal mistake of walking nearby. They are responsible for several deaths each year and often attack canoes and small Dingys like the one Jim and I were in.
 
     
 

 

 

 

I took this shot from a platform high above. (They can jump out of the water pretty high when food is at stake.) This guy is over 20 feet long, and his head is three feet long.

 

Below: This is the Lace Monitor, a very common species here in Australia. This beautiful lizard gets about 6 feet long. He can climb and swim very well.

 
     
   
 

 

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