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Caution with Crocs: A Discussion with Forrest Galante

Former contestant on the Discovery Channel’s reality series Naked and Afraid, wildlife biologist and HECS Aquatic Ambassador Forrest Galante has recently completed a wildlife documentary about diving with American crocodiles. The documentary film, Dancing with Dragons, is about setting out on a true photographic adventure, tracking down and studying the American crocodile with the aim to “expose some shocking truths about crocodiles’ deadly reputation and challenge the thoughts that they are mindless killing machines.”

Words:
Jordan K. Snyder
Images:
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Profiles & Interviews

Are large reptile dives the new adrenalin dive? With the explosion of big animal dives, such as shark and whale dives, one would think that alligators and crocodiles are the next big thing, but Galante is quick to caution people about the future of these dives.

3-D models of alligator skull developed

Researchers from two universities have successfully recreated an accurate three-dimensional model of the American alligator skull.

Ecology & Science

Studying the origins and movement of animals often requires the presence of live animals. However, this is not always possible (in the case of extinct species), safe or practical. In such cases, scientists now have another option: developing three-dimensional models of the animal.

This is what the researchers at the University of Missouri (MU) and the University of Southern Indiana have done. Using cutting-edge imaging and computational tools, they have developed three-dimensional models of the skull of the American alligator.

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Timor-Leste: Land of the Sleeping Crocodile

The juvenile salt-water crocodile was near to death when the small boy found it stranded in a swamp far from the sea. Although greatly afraid, the boy decided to try and save the crocodile and eventually managed to get it back to the sea where it quickly recovered. The two became best friends and went on to travel the world together, with the boy riding on the back of the crocodile as it swam across the seas.

Words:
Don Silcock
Images:
Don Silcock
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Travel & Trips

But as the crocodile grew older, and the time came for it to die, it told the young man it would transform itself into a beautiful island where he and his children could live until the sun sank into the sea…

The tale of the boy and his cold-blooded friend is told often in Timor to explain the island’s crocodile-like shape and why the Timorese have a special affinity with the large reptile that is said to inhabit the creeks and pools along much of the south coast of the country.

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Botswana: Diving with Dinosaurs

My guide and I saw the croc on the surface, basking in the sun, laying on the papyrus grass. It was a Nile crocodile about five meters long and agitated by our invasion of its space. It moved lethargically and got into the water. We followed it, as it swam against the current.

Words:
Amos Nachoum
Images:
Amos Nachoum
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Travel & Trips

Richard saw the large croc rushing toward him. He raised his Hawaiian spear to defend himself. The croc pushed against the spear, pinning Richard against the river bed. The spear was bending, and sand was rising. The croc and Richard were swinging from left to right. Richard was holding his spear as hard as he could, swinging wildly from side to side. It looked almost like they were ‘dancing’. More likely, they were locked in a struggle against each other and not letting go. 

 

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