While they both spend a lot of time submerged, whales and crocodiles seldom come face to face.
Which is why authorities were so puzzled this week when a humpback whale found its way into East Alligator River in the Northern Territory’s Kakadu National Park.
Three of these marine mammals are believed to have strayed into the crocodile-infested river while en route to Antarctica as part of their annual migration.
And at least one whale remained in the river over the weekend, according to Carol Palmer who works in the NT as a government whale and dolphin scientist.
What’s less clear is the reason why it happened.
“We don’t know what’s happened, but it’s obviously made a wrong turn and ended up in the East Alligator River,” said Palmer.
“It’s very tidal. It’s quite shallow and we’re all pretty keen to try to get this guy out.”
Authorities believe the whale was large enough to deter crocodiles from attacking, but were still keen to coax it out of the river.
What makes this even stranger is the event is without precedent.
“We spoke to the Aboriginal elders who speak for that bit of country in Kakadu and they said there’s no name for whales,” said Fowler.
“It’s not recorded in their cultural history. They’ve never heard of this before.”
We’ve all taken a wrong turn at some point in our lives, but this is something else.
