Crocodeilod Gwyllt ar Grwydr


Crocodeilod

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-Despite living on this planet

-for 240 million years...

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-..life for the crocodile

-hasn't been easy in recent years.

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-Numbers had fallen dramatically

-by the '70s...

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-..because they were hunted by man.

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-Today, it's a different story.

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-Bags and shoes made out of crocodile

-skin was the biggest problem...

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-..for Australia's

-native saltwater crocodiles.

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-There were only 3,000 left

-in the Northern Territory...

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-..when zoologist Grahame Webb

-started a campaign to save them.

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-Today, 100,000 survive in the wild.

-They are now a protected species.

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-Thousands are bred in captivity

-to satisfy demand in the market.

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-Grahame opened this crocodile centre

-in 1978 to develop his work further.

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-It also presented an opportunity to

-educate the public about crocodiles.

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-One of the main attractions

-at the park...

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-..is feeding the crocodiles.

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-This happens three times a day.

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-What have we got

-on the line there, Adam?

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-There are more than

-a thousand crocodiles in the park.

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-Some are recently hatched,

-whilst others are 16 feet in length.

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-They can weigh half a tonne.

-It's chicken on the menu today!

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-In prehistoric times...

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-..the crocodile's ancestor...

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-..could eat something

-as big as a dinosaur.

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-Crocodiles were a lot bigger

-back then.

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-They were 40 feet in length.

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-That's a big crocodile!

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-He's so deceptive.

-He seems fast asleep.

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-Whoo!

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-They've been studying the area's

-freshwater crocodile population...

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-..for the last 25 years.

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-While the saltwater crocodile

-numbers are increasing...

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-..there are concerns

-about their smaller cousins.

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-The biggest threat to them is posed

-by the South American cane toad.

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-Its numbers

-have increased dramatically...

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-..since it was introduced

-to the country fifty years ago...

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-..to eat insects

-in agricultural crops.

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-The toad and the eggs it lays...

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-..are poisonous.

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-They can have an adverse effect

-on the wildlife...

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-..around this wetland area

-of Australia.

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-During the wet season...

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-..the water level reaches

-halfway up these trees.

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-Today, the McKinlay River's

-waterbed is dry.

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-I'm joining the team who monitor

-the freshwater crocodiles...

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-..which live here

-during the dry season.

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-Well, here we are on the banks

-of the McKinlay River.

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-During the dry season, the area

-has an abundance of billabongs...

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-..which are pools of water.

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-During the wet season,

-the pools fill up...

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-..join together and create a river.

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-These pools are the perfect place

-to see freshwater crocodiles.

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-That's what we're here for today.

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-Adam Britton is responsible

-for the research work.

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-He'll spend

-most of the next three months...

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-..leading a team of volunteers

-to collect the latest data.

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-He was eager to expand his horizons

-as we ventured out onto the water.

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-'Nol' is easier. 'Nol'.

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-'Nol'? No problems.

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-'Nol' is backwards,

-and 'Ymlaen' is forwards?

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-What's 'hurry up'?

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-'Siapa dy stwmps'!

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-Siapa dy stwmps!

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-We need to pull backwards

-so we don't hit the net.

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-We've placed a net

-across the billabong.

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-After around five minutes,

-we think we've trapped a big one.

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-We've got a crocodile here.

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-Let's have a look.

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-Let's have a look.

-

-There he is. Can you see him?

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-Oh, yeah.

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-Instead of 'siapa dy stwmps', I

-had to watch out for my 'stwmps'...

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-..as I guided the first croc

-into the boat.

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-I have to admit,

-my heart was racing.

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-Just hold him there.

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-Just hold him there.

-

-OK.

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-We haven't had a chance yet...

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-..to tape his mouth up.

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-His mouth is so narrow...

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-..he's got tangled in the net.

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-His teeth are very sharp.

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-You have to know what

-you're doing in this situation.

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-Working as a team is so important...

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-..and you have to trust each other.

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-Adam's put a lot of faith

-in his partner for the day!

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-We've been very lucky.

-We've trapped one that's quite big.

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-He'd be longer if he hadn't had

-a problem with his tail.

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-I think he's had a fight

-at some point.

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-He's not as long as he should be.

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-What I'm going to do is put

-the screwdriver through his jaws...

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-Gosh, his neck is swelling loads.

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-Can you see this?

-His neck has swollen an awful lot.

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-He's biting down very hard.

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-What I'm trying to do

-is open his mouth a bit.

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-Shall I keep a hold of his neck?

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-Shall I keep a hold of his neck?

-

-Just keep holding him.

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-Can you see his teeth?

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-If he loses one,

-another will grow in its place.

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-This happens all the time.

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-In a year,

-they can lose up to 66 teeth.

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-But they all grow back,

-so it doesn't matter.

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-This man's got a lot of faith.

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-Voila!

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-'Voila', as they say in Welsh!

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-I can't believe I'm doing this.

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-It's a fantastic feeling.

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-OK.

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-With the crocodile's jaws fastened,

-we found another one in the net.

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-This one wasn't as quiet!

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-It's quite a big one.

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-He's really big.

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-Just watch his head.

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-Just watch his head.

-

-Can you lift his bum up?

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-Oh, he's not happy.

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-As you can see,

-this crocodile isn't very happy.

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-I don't blame him.

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-But, um... it makes life

-a bit more difficult for us...

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-..and a bit more frightening.

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-OK, boss.

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-Can you hold on to his head?

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-Freshwater crocodiles are smaller

-than saltwater crocodiles.

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-This one is almost fully grown.

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-OK.

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-I'm sitting on a crocodile.

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-I've just been bitten by a fly...

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-..but, right now,

-that's the least of my worries!

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-As you can see,

-his teeth are quite small.

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-This means that they're growing back

-and that he lost a lot of them.

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-It looks like he's eaten something

-he couldn't swallow.

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-He's lost a few teeth

-in the process.

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-They've only just started

-to grow back.

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-They've caught

-this crocodile before.

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-They've already marked him.

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-When they go back

-and check their records...

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-..they can find out

-where they caught him last time...

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-..how much he weighed,

-how long he was and what he ate.

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-OK, we're nearly done.

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-Grab him, if you want.

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-I can do it.

-I've got him, I've got him.

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-Hey, baby!

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-Look at this one - it's a baby.

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-Very cute!

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-If you see a crocodile in the water,

-and you can only see his head...

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-..you know instantly the length

-of the rest of the body.

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-The rest of the body

-is six times the size of its head.

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-It's a formula that's always right.

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-In contrast to the other

-two crocodiles we caught...

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-..this one's not nasty.

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-He's quite docile.

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-Its neck isn't swollen either.

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-He's not biting down hard.

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-After an exciting and successful

-morning, we returned to land...

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-..to examine

-the crocodile prisoners.

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-They're surprisingly heavy.

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-Crocodiles have been monitored here

-for over 25 years.

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-Detailed data is kept

-about the crocodile population...

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-..in the McKinlay River

-during this period.

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-This data is very useful

-to researchers.

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-It provides all sorts

-of information.

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-At the moment,

-that data is very useful...

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-..because the cane toad

-has been introduced to the area.

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-It was first introduced

-to Australia in 1935.

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-It's only been in this area

-for the past year.

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-This toad is very poisonous.

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-They're worried that its presence is

-reducing the crocodile population...

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-..in this area.

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-They will look at the data

-they collected last year...

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-..and compare that

-with this year's data...

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-..to see if there's been

-any reduction in the numbers.

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-She's been caught four times before

-- in this billabong, every time.

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-She was first caught in 1979.

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-She's probably at least

-50 years old.

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-She's quite an old animal.

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-We think that freshwater crocodiles

-can live up to 60-70 years old.

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-But, if there are going to be

-cane toads here in the wet season...

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-..this could be the animal's

-last year - which is a bit tragic.

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-Time will tell what will happen

-during the wet season.

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-For now, they're free and happy

-to reach the billabong again!

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-More details about the crocodiles

-can be found on our website.

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-After the break, I'll come face to

-face with their larger cousins...

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-..the saltwater crocodiles

-of the Adelaide River.

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-888

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-888

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-888

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-This is the highlight for me -

-the moment I've been waiting for.

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-We're on the Adelaide River

-looking for saltwater crocodiles.

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-Yes, the ones that eat people!

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-This is the best time to catch them.

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-The tide is out and they come out

-to feed at this time of day...

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-..when the sun sets.

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-As the sun's heat disappears,

-threatening shapes pass our boat...

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-..under the water's surface.

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-Adam's seen an opportunity

-under the shadow of the trees.

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-We're going to target one of them.

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-It's exciting.

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-At the end of the pole, there's

-a hook at the end of a strong line.

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-If the croc comes

-towards the water...

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-..Adam will plunge the harpoon

-into its nape.

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-But this is a sly one that scurries

-away into the thick undergrowth.

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-Well, we lost that one,

-unfortunately.

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-We'll carry on looking.

-The night is young.

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-It will be easier to catch them

-in the water when it's dark.

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-It got very exciting

-when it was dark...

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-..as we lost sight

-of the river's immensity.

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-There were crocodiles all around

-and Adam had plenty of choice.

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-Well, we've caught a crocodile.

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-It's a female crocodile.

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-It's quite big - eight feet long.

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-At the moment, she's dived down into

-the depths because she's scared.

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-We're giving her enough slack...

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-..to allow her to swim away,

-then pull her in, swim away...

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-..and then pull her in

-until she tires.

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-She'll have to resurface soon

-to take a breath of air.

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-There was something incredibly

-surreal about the situation.

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-We had a powerful crocodile

-at the end of our line...

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-..and we were about to smack her

-with one of the oars...

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-..to make her open her mouth.

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-I didn't hurt her, but she wasn't

-happy about the whole thing.

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-It's no surprise, is it?

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-We're pulling the crocodile in...

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-..and we'll tie her jaws up now.

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-It's an important thing

-to remember...

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-..don't put your hand

-near her mouth.

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-Crocodiles don't have the energy

-to open their jaws regularly.

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-But when they close their jaws,

-they do so with a force...

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-..that's corresponds

-to two tonnes of weight.

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-It's like a lorry

-falling on your head!

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-Just put your finger there.

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-Just put your finger there.

-

-Are you serious?

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-It's hard to believe

-that this flimsy piece of tape...

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-..will keep the jaws closed

-while Adam administers the tests.

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-It will all happen inside

-our tiny 15 ft boat.

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-As you can see, we're taping up

-the crocodile's mouth.

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-It's a frightening experience,

-to say the least.

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-Right.

-I am as ready as I'll ever be.

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-The four of us were fully aware

-of our responsibilities.

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-Otherwise, we'd have an irate

-crocodile back in the water...

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-..and we'd be keeping her company.

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-Shall I grab a leg?

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-I've got it. Hang on.

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-Come here, you bugger!

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-I've got it.

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-Lift it up.

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-Whoo-hoo!

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-Wow!

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-With the three of us sitting on her,

-there was no escape... hopefully!

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-This is the harpoon.

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-It's a small device.

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-This enters the crocodile's skin,

-like a hook when you're fishing.

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-It's this size to make sure

-it doesn't penetrate the muscles.

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-It doesn't harm the crocodile.

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-It's long enough to snare it

-by its skin.

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-The scientists are interested

-in its immunity from disease.

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-Adam regularly takes

-blood and skin samples...

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-..and it's hoped that

-this revolutionary research...

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-..will lead

-to a better understanding...

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-..and medical benefits for humans.

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-She's about seven feet long.

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-With the worst over...

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-..the croc senses that it's time

-to return to the water.

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-But, first, we have to clarify

-one important fact for the data.

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-Adam has just asked me

-to find out...

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-..if this crocodile

-is a male or a female.

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-It appears that I have to insert

-my finger into this hole...

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-..to find out!

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-Adam was fairly sure

-that this was a female crocodile...

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-..but there was only one way

-to find out for sure.

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-I had to feel around

-for its sexual organs.

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-Well, I can't feel anything.

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-That means it's female.

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-So, a little girl.

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-So, a little girl.

-

-You've got a little girl here.

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-Well, a big girl!

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-This is the most precious part

-of the crocodile - the stomach.

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-This is where the skin is smoothest.

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-From 1945 to 1971...

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-..crocodiles were killed

-to provide this skin to make bags.

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-By 1971, the future of crocodiles

-was under threat.

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-That's when they decided

-to do something about it.

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-It's time for us to get

-this one back into the water.

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-First, we need to calm her down.

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-We're preparing to put

-the crocodile back into the water.

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-We have to release her

-back into the water...

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-..without the tape over her eyes...

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-..and the tape and rope

-around her jaws.

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-It's quite a feat.

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-We don't want to get hurt either.

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-I think she'll be a bit annoyed

-at having been tied up for so long.

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-OK, we just need to put her on here.

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-Are you ready? One, two, three.

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-What we're going to do

-is just undo this.

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-And then John,

-if you could just put the tail in.

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-OK, are you ready to go?

-Just slide the tail in there.

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-Australian saltwater crocodiles...

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-..have been a protected species

-in the wild for the past 30 years.

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-Control schemes which support the

-development of crocodile farms...

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-..have created a more stable

-situation in the Northern Territory.

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-Congratulations.

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-It's hoped that

-these crocodiles will survive...

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-..for at least another 240 million

-years in the Adelaide River.

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-Next week, I'll be capturing

-some wild animals in Africa.

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-For more information,

-visit our website.

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-The animals are in there.

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-The sirens will go off again

-and then the curtains will close...

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-..to make them move closer

-to the lorry.

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-S4C subtitles by Rh Sion Morgan

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