Burt, the iconic saltwater crocodile that starred in the hit Australian film Crocodile Dundee (1986), has died “peacefully” at the herpetarium and aquarium in Darwin, Northern Territory, where it was living since 2008. Burt, a “confirmed bachelor”, was believed to have been over 90 years old.
Crocosaurus Cove, the facility where the huge crocodile spent its final years, characterized its death as “the end of an incredible era”. In a statement on Instagram, the wildlife centre said Burt was “not just a crocodile; he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures”.
Though Crocosaurus Cove admitted Burt’s personality could be “challenging”, it said that was what made the crocodile “so memorable and beloved by those who worked with him and the thousands who visited him over the years”. Visitors from around the globe, it said, marvelled at its size and commanding presence, “especially at feeding time”.
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Burt was captured in the Reynolds River in the Northern Territory in the early 1980s and went on to acquire global fame when it was cast in the Australian classic action comedy starring Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski. Crocodile Dundee, which remains Australia’s top grosser of all time, taking nearly Aus $48 million at the time, earned an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay and resulted in two sequels. A documentary on the making of the original film is due to be released next year.
Also Read: Burt’s death comes less than two months after the death of another saltwater crocodile named Cassius, which lived at the Marineland Melanasia Crocodile Habitat in Queensland and was recognized in 2011 by Guinness World Records as the largest crocodile in captivity. Cassius was nearly 18 feet long and weighed nearly a tonne. The crocodile was thought to be nearly 110 years old.
Saltwater crocodiles usually live up to the age of 70 years in the wild.
