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

Written by Sharon Parry
Updated: October 23, 2023
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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.

Watch This Full Video to See Brutus the Bully in Action!

Brutus the Bully crocodile

Scary Salt Water Crocs

Saltwater Crocodile in Australia

Saltwater crocodiles can be highly territorial and that makes them aggressive toward each other, especially during the mating season.

©Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH/Shutterstock.com

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 crocodiles? The footage starts off with a major confrontation that sees two crocodiles 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.

Crocodiles on Land

Saltwater crocodile on shore

Brutus demonstrates his aggressive nature as he and another croc are resting on some mud on the shore.

©Firepac/Shutterstock.com

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 crocodiles 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.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © BrittanyO/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Dr Sharon Parry is a writer at A-Z animals where her primary focus is on dogs, animal behavior, and research. Sharon holds a PhD from Leeds University, UK which she earned in 1998 and has been working as a science writer for the last 15 years. A resident of Wales, UK, Sharon loves taking care of her spaniel named Dexter and hiking around coastlines and mountains.

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