CROCODILLIA = ARMADILLIA

Australian Saltwater Crocodiles, or "Salties" as many call them, are one of the most dangerous species of crocodiles alive. Their name is not entirely accurate, as the Australian Saltwater Crocodile is able to live in both fresh and salt water. The Australian government ordered a protection of the crocs in the 70s and 80s after extensive hunting in decades before. Because of this protection, the Saltie population rose enormously. After the population had increased sufficiently, the government of Australia revoked laws that outlawed the hunting or general killing of the crocodiles. This overall worked to the detriment of us as humans. Although they pose a danger to humans, the crocodiles are not entirely to blame. Many people, especially tourists, feed the crocs for fun. This leads to the association between humans and food in the crocs. That is a dangerous connection for all parties involved. Many fishermen continue to stand directly on the shore, or even in the water itself, attracting the Salties to their location. Additionally, many people stand on docks, overhangs, or the shore as well, becoming easy targets for hungry crocs. Salties have the ability to move incredibly quickly over land in addition to water, as well as being able to jump out of the water. When those abilities are combined with the deadly strength of their jaws, which can close with the force of several tons, it creates an almost inescapable death trap. Not to mention their sheer size of several meters in length. As a preventive and protective measure against these attacks, many signs and other warnings have been posted and shared. Many of these, however, have been ignored and not followed, leading to more attacks on (presumably) innocent people.

In my opinion, the management of Australian Saltwater Crocodiles is an iffy subject that is not black and white. On one hand, we should concern ourselves over the conservation of all species. By that, I mean all species, especially the ones that we caused harm or decline to. On the other hand however, Salties are harming innocent people who had a family and a life. After considering both factors, I have decided that unless a Saltie is causing excessive harm and/or terrorizing people, it should be let alone. As proven by other incidents, namely the wolves of Yellowstone, a significant decline in the numbers of apex predators can completely alter an ecosystem for the worse. Besides this fact, there are warnings in place in order to protect the common person. Residents should know enough about the area to know to stay away from areas where crocodiles live. For all I know, this is much needed natural selection.