A dual-cab ute was captured running over a saltwater crocodile at a croc-infested river crossing in a video that has gone viral.
The vehicle was driving through the notorious Cahills Crossing, in Kakadu National Park, which is a congregation spot for scores of feasting reptiles.
TikTok user Matteo Mastratisi was taking video for a friend when he realised there was something under the ute as it drove through the water.
“The driver had no idea there was a croc there, you couldn’t see the croc under the water,” he told ABC radio.
“The driver goes and hits a bump. You wouldn’t want to stop in the middle of a crossing, especially a croc-infested crossing.
“As soon as it was safe to do so, he stopped. I don’t even think the driver knew what was stuck under the car.”
Mastratisi said it was a “once-in-a-lifetime video capture”.
The clip, which was posted to TikTok, had racked up more than four million views on Tuesday.
A man was killed by a crocodile in 2017 when he “foolishly” walked across Cahills Crossing.
The spot on the East Alligator River is a popular tourist site known for its high concentration of huge saltwater crocodiles.
The seasonal phenomenon brings dozens of hungry crocs to the crossing to feast on mullet and barramundi that are pushed over the road by the tide.
Visitors can watch the amazing wild spectacle from a high viewing platform as toothy jaws snap and crunch fish, with competing reptiles sometimes attacking one another for the food.
At low tide, the road that crosses to an Indigenous community is passable by vehicle, but is considered dangerous.
The highest concentration of crocodiles comes later in the dry season from July to October or November, reaching its peak from September onwards until the wet season starts.
“Crocodile density increases dramatically during this time,” says the Cahills Crossing website.
“With enough fish available around the crossing, a staggering number of crocodiles can co-exist, albeit observing the pecking order (crocodile hierarchical rules).
“Large tides push muddy water and plenty of mullet upstream and over the causeway, providing the best setting for a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience.
“Fifty crocodiles or more have been counted in the 400-metre stretch of river between Cahills Crossing and the East Alligator River upstream boat ramp.”
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