No sooner had the news of Cindy Waldron, 46, being snatched by a crocodile, than I hear some jerk conservationist saying that it wasn't the fault of the croc, and that people had to take responsibility for their own actions.

Not only was it extremely crass to denigrate a woman whose only error was not to pay sufficient attention to a few signs, it raises the issue that in the age of the nanny state where all steps are taken to cotton-wool us from danger, why is this particular peril special?

The conservation of these reptilian killing machines has been so successful that their numbers have risen to levels not seen since Australia was developed, and there is not a waterway in the northern territory that is not a death trap. Now that crocodiles are no longer in any danger of extinction, is it not time to thin the herd?

If evolution is true then killing crocs is murder. I think they should be a great food source for humans.

Yes I think it is time to thin the croc herd too.
Since hearing of even local Aboriginal people being taken by crocs in the NT, it is well past the time they should be culled.

As a young nurse working in Darwin, I looked after a woman who had just survived a croc attack up there, and it was truly an awful sight! I have never forgotten those horrendous wounds.

Certainly, even though I was young and not a local Territorian, I never even considered swimming in or walking near to any waterway even vaguely near the coast. This woman was indeed extremely foolish to go anywhere near that water in the daytime, let alone at night.
People, especially tourists, need to be aware of all water in the NT, except private swimming pools....and even then.....!

SM, you simply can not legislate against stupidity as this woman was taken while swimming late at night when these animals are most actively feeding. Just plain dumb.

I have fished many a croc infested waterway and seen many acting in different ways, due mainly to the amount of human activity they encounter.

In remote areas they don't seem to be bothered by our presence, while in more popular areas, such as Weipa, they shy away very quickly.

One of our biggest mistakes is hand feeding them, encouraging them to leap from the water for food, all in the name of tourism dollars.

While I agree numbers should be culled, stupidity can not be blamed on these animals because with the likes of facebook and the internet, there should not be a person on the planet that is not aware of the dangers up there.

Chances are this bird was pissed at the time and thought a midnight dip would be a great idea. Wrong!

There comes a point when the numbers of crocs put pressure on their natural source of food. That is when they switch from opportunistically hunting humans and actively hunting them. This has been a problem in Africa with the Nile crocs.

Having evolved into the perfect handbag or shoes, they should be allowed to serve their purpose.

There are $millions to be made from dangerous game safari hunting, buffalo, wild bull (Banteng) and boar.

Of course in politically correct, multicult Oz there would have to be the veneer of 'Aborigine owned and led' safaris. Patronising and insulting to indigenous with the implication being that they didn't have the nouce or go to take the initiative themselves. That 'whitey' is always necessary doing the planning, work and cleaning up to make it possible.

-Just to say that there are plenty of very well off indigenous in the NT and Oz who could take up the business opportunity and would have by now had they had any interest. Using taxpayers money to fund more indigenous enterprises is throwing good money after bad.