A freshwater crocodile has been captured on camera making a quick meal of an endangered sawfish.
Scientists released the photo showing a freshwater crocodile attacking a critically endangered sawfish in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, highlighting their dangerous journey between the Fitzroy River and the sea.
Freshwater sawfish are listed internationally as critically endangered and they are the only sawfish from the five sawfish species with a juvenile freshwater phase.
A freshwater crocodile has been captured on camera making a quick meal of an endangered sawfish
Scientists released the photo showing a freshwater crocodile attacking a critically endangered sawfish in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
Scientists from Murdoch University and indigenous rangers examined scars on freshwater sawfish in the Fitzroy River, finding that about 60 per cent had bites from crocodiles, bull sharks, and for one unfortunate sawfish, both.
David Morgan from the Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research says young sawfish spent about four to five years in the river before migrating to the ocean to mature and breed.
‘Their upstream migrations are fraught with danger, and we suspect they don’t always survive,’ he said.
‘These scars suggest that freshwater crocodiles attempt to capture and consume sawfish regularly, but are unsuccessful possibly due to the size, sensory capabilities and defences of their prey.’
Researchers are highlighting the ebndangered species’ dangerous journey between the Fitzroy River and the sea
Young sawfish spent about four to five years in the river before migrating to the ocean to mature and breed