See “Brutus,” the Bully River Crocodile That’s Scarier Than “Dominator”

Dominator, the giant croc, has become famous all over the world for its sheer size! This enormous reptile has been wowing the crowds on Adelaide River boat cruises, and they even bait him with raw meat on sticks to get his attention.

Now, it turns out that Dominator has some competition. Let us introduce you to Brutus -– the scariest croc in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Scary Salt Water Crocs

Both Dominator and Brutus are saltwater crocs, and that goes some way to explaining their attitudes. Saltwater crocodiles can be highly territorial and that makes them aggressive toward each other, especially during the mating season.  

So, how are things going between Brutus and the other crocs? The footage starts off with a major confrontation that sees two crocs hurling themselves at each other at great speed. The explosive action takes everyone by surprise, and that includes the passengers on the nearby boat.

Next, we get to witness a Brutus headbutt! Another croc is floating quietly by the side of the boat seemingly unaware that Brutus is approaching. The bully croc pulls alongside his rival, flexes his powerful neck muscles, and his head smacks against the other croc’s head like it is on a spring! The stunned rival swims away leaving Brutus to take pride of place by the boat.

Crocs on Land

Crocodiles are surprisingly fast on land and can move across mud flats with amazing ease. Again, we see Brutus demonstrate his aggressive nature as he and another croc are resting on some mud on the shore.

Both crocs are being baited with some raw meat on a rope and, because Brutus is closest to the meal, he gets the first strike. However, as he is approaching the meat he sees the second croc entering the water around six feet away from him and decides that chasing this croc is more important than the meal. Even when the poor intruder is some way down the river, Brutus is still in pursuit!

The dominance of the larger is clearly demonstrated in another sequence involving some bait. This time, the crocs are partially submerged and are contemplating the meat bait, but before they have a chance to take a bite, the boss arrives.

He is clearly larger and more aggressive than the others, and they all back off whilst he takes over the meal. Some of them hang around on the shore and you can hear them “complaining,” but none of them are prepared to take him on! This is a fascinating insight into the social structure of these awesome animals.

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