Cairns River Cruise - May 25

The next day in Cairns was mostly spent driving through Australia. It was a beautiful drive along the coast and some of the beaches stretched out for forever. We had plenty of time in the car to catch up on sleep and homework (yes that really was a real thing), and chat with each other. The first place we stopped was at the Daintree River Cruise where we learned a lot about Crocodiles and got to see a few in the "wild". Some interesting facts about Crocodiles:
- The Temperature of the nest determines the sex of the croc
- Males are on average about 6 meters and weigh about a ton
- Females are about 3.7 meters and weigh about 270 Kilos
- It takes 35 years to mature, they live to be about 80 in the wild but much longer in captivity
- They are very lonely animals except during breading season in Sept/Oct
- Females fight over nesting sights and the Males fight over breeding rights
- Females lay about 50 eggs but only 1% of them live to maturity.
- Takes 3 months to hatch and are 6 inches long when they do.
- Mom doesn't want to know them, Dad will eat them as soon as he can.
- Crocs have the ability to wait 12 months for a feeding
- They can't swallow anything underwater or they'll drown.
- They expel the least amount of energy as possible. Not built for long endurance but for short bursts of energy.
- They have the ability to shut off blood flow if they lose a limb and have one of the greatest immune systems known to man.
- Closest living link are birds.

This guy's name is Scooter. He is 17 years old.

These Red Mangrove trees can feel when its about to fall over so it grows a new branch to keep it upright.

Our river guide brought out a baby croc to let us feel. His mouth was taped shut but he still would lash out a little every so often.