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Perth Zoo’s huge saltwater crocodile “Simmo” will savour his last meal for five months this Sunday signalling the arrival of the cooler weather.

This Sunday at midday is the last chance for Zoo visitors to see the powerful 500 kg, 4.8 metre long Estuarine (saltwater) Crocodile leap out of the water to snatch his meal before his winter fast begins.

“Like other reptiles, the activity levels and food requirements of crocodiles drop dramatically with the cooler weather,” Perth Zoo reptile keeper Brendan McGill said.

“To replicate feeding patterns in the wild, Simmo’s diet changes from weekly 4 kg feeds of meat and fish in summer, with the  occasional 10-15 kg feed, to no food for around five months during the cooler months, usually May to October.

“Estuarine Crocodiles are capable of launching half their body length out of the water – usually in an ambush attack. Perth Zoo visitors can see this unique behaviour when Simmo is fed at midday on Sunday.”

The  keepers feed Simmo from a platform over his outdoor pool.

Background

Simmo, estimated to be over 60 years old, came to Perth Zoo in 1998. He was removed from Darwin Harbour by wildlife officers following public safety concerns. Due to his temperament and past history, Simmo is housed alone. Before he came to Perth Zoo and whilst at a crocodile farm, Simmo attacked and killed two female crocodiles.

Perth Zoo visitors are usually overawed by Simmo’s sheer size and anatomy including his third eyelid which assists with his underwater vision.                                                     

General Estuarine Crocodile information

• Otherwise known as the Saltwater Crocodile, this is the world’s largest living reptile. Although occasionally seen in the open ocean, this species is mostly estuarine (it tends to remain in estuaries where rivers meet the ocean).
• It is a protected species and is considered the apex predator in the Australian river system.
• Prior to its protection in the 1970s, the Estuarine Crocodile was subjected to intense hunting pressure and was listed as a threatened species. After years of legal protection, its numbers have increased and it is no longer listed as threatened.
• In the wild, their diet includes crustaceans, fish and other vertebrates including large animals such as sheep and cattle. They do not chew – they either swallow their prey whole or rip pieces off with a head shake or “death roll”.
• After mating, the female makes a large nesting mound of vegetation, mud and soil, away from the water’s edge and lays between 40 and 62 hard-shelled eggs in a central chamber. Hatchlings form “crèches” which are attended by protective adult crocodiles, however, only one in three individuals reach maturity.
• Estuarine Crocodiles can live up to 150 years.

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