Katie Watson

This is all part of the Northern Territory's crocodile management plan for the more than 100,000 crocs that live in the wild here. And they've recently raised the number they're allowed to cull each year to control the population. It's a turnaround from the 1970s, which saw the population dwindle to just 3,000. Now, salties aren't even threatened anymore.

This is all part of the Northern Territory's crocodile management plan for the more than 100,000 crocs that live in the wild here. And they've recently raised the number they're allowed to cull each year to control the population. It's a turnaround from the 1970s, which saw the population dwindle to just 3,000. Now, salties aren't even threatened anymore.

Graham Webb is one of Australia's most renowned croc experts.

Graham Webb is one of Australia's most renowned croc experts.

The government also goes into schools with its education programme, Be Crock-Wise. It's been such a success that other countries are now looking to borrow it.

The government also goes into schools with its education programme, Be Crock-Wise. It's been such a success that other countries are now looking to borrow it.

Natasha Hoffman is a ranger running the Bee Crocwise program.

Natasha Hoffman is a ranger running the Bee Crocwise program.

It struck at 12.47 local time, so just around lunchtime at about 30 kilometres from the capital, Port Vila, and a depth of up to 57 kilometres. So as we heard just there, yeah, I think a lot of people were shocked by the intensity of the quake and the mean depth. a series of smaller aftershocks in the hours after the initial quake.

It struck at 12.47 local time, so just around lunchtime at about 30 kilometres from the capital, Port Vila, and a depth of up to 57 kilometres. So as we heard just there, yeah, I think a lot of people were shocked by the intensity of the quake and the mean depth. a series of smaller aftershocks in the hours after the initial quake.

But very quickly, people were jumping on social media and posting images of one flattened building where you could see authorities were looking to see whether there were any people trapped. And there was also the U.S. Embassy building that showed pictures of broken windows. And that same building, the U.K. High Commission building,

But very quickly, people were jumping on social media and posting images of one flattened building where you could see authorities were looking to see whether there were any people trapped. And there was also the U.S. Embassy building that showed pictures of broken windows. And that same building, the U.K. High Commission building,

the French embassy, the New Zealand High Commission, they're all in the same building. So the US have said that their people are safe and sound. So if New Zealand, that we're able to evacuate safely during the earthquake, but still it is a massive operation and the communications are still very difficult on the ground. It's a small island nation, very much in the middle of the Pacific.

the French embassy, the New Zealand High Commission, they're all in the same building. So the US have said that their people are safe and sound. So if New Zealand, that we're able to evacuate safely during the earthquake, but still it is a massive operation and the communications are still very difficult on the ground. It's a small island nation, very much in the middle of the Pacific.

So you can imagine the logistics of trying to get help.

So you can imagine the logistics of trying to get help.

Absolutely. I mean, it's in an area of seismic activity. It's a part of the world that's not unused to natural disasters. Last year, there was a series of cyclones that affected the island. There have been earthquakes in recent years. But the extent that, you know, the size of this earthquake and obviously the distance between

Absolutely. I mean, it's in an area of seismic activity. It's a part of the world that's not unused to natural disasters. Last year, there was a series of cyclones that affected the island. There have been earthquakes in recent years. But the extent that, you know, the size of this earthquake and obviously the distance between

The intensity at which it hit took everybody by surprise and is obviously making people nervous with the aftershocks that we have been seeing and registered on the islands. But it's about 80 islands, an archipelago of just over 80 islands, very low-lying islands, and that's why there was concern initially about a potential tsunami threat.

The intensity at which it hit took everybody by surprise and is obviously making people nervous with the aftershocks that we have been seeing and registered on the islands. But it's about 80 islands, an archipelago of just over 80 islands, very low-lying islands, and that's why there was concern initially about a potential tsunami threat.