Deadly predator spotted lurking in background of man's selfie
Wildlife conservationist Andrew Ucles is no stranger to some of the nation’s most dangerous predators.
And while he is known for capturing dozens of wild animals with his barehands, the Australian rarely lets his guard down – and for good reason too.
On Sunday, Mr Ucles shared a chilling warning while in the Northern Territory as to why those exploring Australia’s vast landscape should always be on their toes.
Uploading footage to his Facebook page, Mr Ucles describes the close encounter he and his partner Holly had with a 4.5m saltwater crocodile along the banks of the Daly River in the territory’s northwest.
“We were just about to spear a barramundi right here and guess what we saw,” he says in the video before panning the camera to the predator lying motionless on the river bed.
“We’ve got to be careful because at the end of the day this is saltwater crocodile country.”
Mr Ucles said he was fortunate to spot the croc as they regularly try and disguise themselves in shallow waters ready to attack.
“They’re there and they’re watching,” he warns.
“It quite easily could kill me ... so you better be careful where you stand in the water.”
He later went on to label crocodiles “ambush specialists” as he addressed his online following.
“[They are] highly calculated and what’s most concerning is he would have waited there all day for the right opportunity,” he said.
“Time doesn’t exist for a crocodile.”
According to the Northern Territory government there are up to 200,000 crocodiles across the territory and they are being found in areas where previously it was believed they did not inhabit.
The NT government uses its Crocwise scheme to educate tourists on the best procedures to take when visiting and to avoid entering water.
“It is never 100 per cent safe to enter the water. Your personal safety is your responsibility,” the NT government’s website reads.
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