Why does the Northern Territory have more crocodiles than Queensland?
The coastal region of the Northern Territory has an east–west orientation at a latitude that provides ideal habitat for estuarine crocodiles. Much of the Queensland coastline falls in more southerly latitudes and therefore provides less optimal crocodile habitat. Much of the habitat in these areas has very poor flood relief and has been altered and fragmented by human settlement. As such, the nesting success is very limited compared to the Northern Territory In the southern part of its range, winter temperatures reach a threshold below which crocodile eggs will not hatch and the longer cold periods significantly lower crocodile growth rates. The effect of a cooler climate on crocodiles can be seen in those animals kept in wildlife parks in southern Queensland. The crocodiles do not feed over winter as they cannot absorb enough warmth to digest food.
