Endeavour Veterinary Ecology (EVE) has been at the forefront of managing endangered koala populations through the development and deployment of the K-Tracker, an advanced wildlife tracking technology. Co-designed with technology partner INCYT and backed by award-winning consultancy LX Design House, this intelligent device has earned recognition for its innovative contributions to koala conservation. This biotelemetry device provides scientifically robust data for decision-making and helps mitigate risks to koalas. EVE believes that this technology could offer similar benefits in reducing conflicts between humans and other threatened species.
Koala Tech: A New Tool in the Croc Monitoring Toolbox?
In collaboration with the Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Rangers in Napranum, an Aboriginal Shire on the western side of the Cape York Peninsula, EVE has undertaken a groundbreaking feasibility study to test the K-Tracker technology on estuarine crocodiles. The initial results are promising, suggesting that the K-Tracker system can be adapted to monitor crocodile movements and behaviour in areas where there are known interactions between crocodile habitat and recreational use of the waterways. If successful, this technology has the potential to empower key stakeholders, including indigenous ranger groups, to drive localised mitigation strategies for public safety, whilst strengthening culture and conservation.
Cultural Custodianship: Embracing First Nations Knowledge
More information is needed to enhance public awareness of crocodile risks and evolve mitigation measures to focus on human behaviour. Aboriginal people of northern Australia have a long history of successfully coexisting with crocodiles, as reflected in their stories, customs, songs, and various forms of artwork. Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Ranger Director, Katrina Savo, has emphasised the importance of integrating traditional knowledge into mainstream crocodile management, which could play a crucial role in reducing the risk of crocodile attacks. She says public education is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution.
Aboriginal people are rarely in the statistics of crocodile attacks. And yet many Aboriginal communities in northern Australia live alongside the natural range of the crocodile. There is a lot to learn from people of the Western Cape region who have successfully co-existed with saltwater crocodiles for thousands of years. Indigenous people have a deep knowledge system of this species, and that knowledge can be imparted through information sharing in how to prevent crocodile conflicts, especially for tourists visiting from outside croc country.
Our crocodiles are highly important to us as Traditional Owners and also as managers of the land, sea and animals. Our passion for our country extends in no small part to the wildlife that have always existed here too. Not only are they important to us as totems, they are essential for the health of the ecosystem of the Western Cape region. The crocodile for our people is an animal to be respected.
Culling crocodiles can lead to a false narrative of human safety and has an impact to many people in our community who have a kinship with crocodiles. Understanding crocodile behaviour can lead to tailored community education responses towards mitigation. This project is a great example of how we can use our different skills to work together for a really good outcome for country.
More Than Koalas: EVE’s Expertise in Crocodiles
Although better known for their work with koalas, an animal worlds apart from these apex predators, the EVE team is no stranger to working with Australia’s largest reptiles. The five-person crocodile-catching team in Napranum was led by Brian Coulter, who spent 28 years working alongside Steve Irwin as the head of his crocodile-catching team, managing large groups in high-risk field projects to deliver large-scale crocodile research and rescue around the globe.
For several of the Nanum Wungthim Rangers, like Frank Sigai, who deliver the Napranum Land and Sea Management Program on behalf of the Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, crocodiles are a totem animal. His time in the field learning to trap and capture crocodiles alongside EVE’s expert catching team was an unforgettable experience. Frank had the chance to catch and tag one of the eight crocodiles as part of the project and describes his connection with his now namesake crocodile, “Frank,” whom he can monitor in near real-time through the interactive project dashboard, accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
Because at that time, I was talking my language from my Dad’s side in my head, and I felt it’s pain in my heart. Because it’s my totem, and in spiritual ways we have something in common. Because I dance crocodile. Dance for my culture. That’s why we could sense each other.
Crocodile Capture Success: Eight Crocs in Seven Days
During the week of crocodile catching in Napranum, eight crocodiles ranging from 2.5 to 4.5 metres were captured and fitted with solar-powered K-Tracker GPS tags. These tags enable near-real-time tracking via six base stations installed at the study site, which have a range of up to 20 km in optimal conditions. When a crocodile moves beyond the range of a base station, the tag stores the data and transmits it upon reentering the coverage area. Since tagging began in early July, the crocodiles have been continuously providing valuable data on their movements across the site. The monitoring is managed through the INCYT dashboard, which serves as the central hub for tag programming, raw data files, mapping, and tracking activity and movement data.
Sparking Key Conversations on Coexistence
Dr. Jon Hanger, Founder of Endeavour Veterinary Ecology and the driving force behind the development of the K-Tracker for koalas, says that the initial results have been encouraging. He highlights the importance of innovative monitoring tools and collaborative efforts in managing any threatened species.
Facilitating remote monitoring of crocodiles provides a valuable tool for crocodile research and monitoring, particularly in reducing the risk of adverse human-crocodile interactions. This study is also a fantastic demonstration of collaboration—how different groups and methods can come together for a threatened species and further our knowledge of crocodiles as both a culturally and ecologically significant species. It’s inspiring to see how the Napranum Land and Sea Rangers are considering how this technology could be utilised to influence culturally-led education that could have an impact on community safety.
With promising results from the recent feasibility study, EVE plans to continue collaborating with the Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Rangers and the Queensland Government to monitor the eight tagged crocodiles throughout this year’s breeding season—a period when crocodiles typically exhibit more territorial behaviours. The project has offered the ranger team valuable insights into the crocodiles’ behavioural patterns and habitat use through the K-Tracker’s dashboard interface. Inspired by these findings, the team is now focussed on developing a community education program. This initiative aims to promote Crocwise behaviors and enhance safety for both people and crocodiles, reducing the risk of potential conflicts in the community.
Dr. Hanger also notes that the K-Tracker has sparked important discussions around human-wildlife conflict.
It’s great to see this crocodile project leading to important conversations about coexistence with a species that is misunderstood. That is something that makes us feel proud. If our wildlife monitoring technology can lead to meaningful conversations and inspire communities to want to learn more about a threatened species, that’s a wonderful outcome.
Endeavour Veterinary Ecology would like to thank the following project partners for their support in delivering this feasibility study: Department of Environment, Science and Innovation, Nanum Wungthim Land and Sea Rangers (especially to Katrina Savo and Marietta Matasia), Napranum Aboriginal Shire Council, Illawarra Reptile Society, Josh Lyons, Saltwater Ecology, Insight Eco and Heritage, Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Croc Country Australia and Wildlife Unleashed.
If your project could benefit from our advanced wildlife monitoring technologies, and management skills, we welcome you to contact us and discuss how we can assist.