A tour company owner responded to a tourist who posted a vision of a crocodile trap near a spot where families with children were about to go canoeing.
Adam Mackay, who runs Go Wild Adventure Tours in Kununurra in Western Australia’s remote Kimberly region, criticised the woman for filming a video of a crocodile trap on the banks of the Ord River and posting it on social media.
Mackay responded to the tourists’ actions, telling Daily Mail Australia that he has “no idea” about the measures put in place to protect tourists, despite there having been sightings of saltwater crocodiles in the area.
He said rangers and “the entire community” are keeping an eye out for crocodiles because they don’t want them in the water.
“Watch this speech from someone who has no idea!” he posted on Facebook in response to the tourist’s video.
Mr Mackay, who runs travel company Econoeing Tours, which offers self-guided, certified camping and canoeing activities to tourists, told Daily Mail Australia that there were very few crocodile sightings on the river.
He said the Ivanhoe Crossing, a causeway at the lower end of the Ord River, is much more dangerous because it is a known habitat for saltwater crocodiles.
Mr Mackay said there were a lot of people swimming in the water over the weekend.
Adam Mackay (pictured), who runs Go Wild Adventure Tours in Kununurra, said tourists have “no idea” about the safety measures put in place to protect visitors.
The stretch of river the tourist filmed is protected from crocodiles, she said, with traps and a removal program run by rangers.
“It’s a different turn of events. It’s clear that people in the city put their values above ours, they don’t know what’s going on here,” he said.
Mackay, who has run the business for 25 years, said the video has caused people to overreact about the potential danger of using the waterway.
“What I’ve done… I have clients who are going (on a tour) on Thursday and they’ve called me after seeing the post and asked, ‘Are you sure it’s safe?'” she said.
Mr Mackay posted on Facebook on Monday to explain that the trap the woman filmed was an important safety measure.
She said the cage had trapped a massive 1.8-metre saltwater crocodile just weeks before the woman posted the video.
The crocodile was the same one that had been accidentally released after being let out of the trap a few months earlier.
Mackay said smaller crocodiles are sometimes seen because they seek out a more secluded spot during the rainy season.
The Western Australian Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is responsible for managing the trap.
It has set six traps along Lake Kununurra, which sits on the upper Ord River, as part of its ranger program.
Mr Mackay (pictured centre), who has run the business for 25 years, said a video posted by a tourist showing a crocodile trap had caused people to overreact about the potential danger of using the waterway.
The woman filmed a video of the crocodile trap on the banks of the Ord River (pictured) before posting the clip on social media, sparking a stir among those heading to the area.
“I rely on them (rangers) to keep me informed. When they do, I have to stand in front of my clients and say, ‘Did you know we have a confirmed sighting (of a crocodile)?'” Mackay said.
“Most people decide to participate anyway.”
Commentators on social media backed Mr Mackay, praising his knowledge and experience in organising guided tours.
“Their tours are extremely safe, well planned and have been the highlight of my teaching career,” one person wrote.
Others criticized the woman for criticizing the activities carried out on the river.
“I would suggest tourists look after themselves. Why are they coming to the Kimberley in the first place?” wrote another person.
Some were surprised when Mr Mackay said the large crocodile was caught in the trap just weeks before the woman visited the river.
Mr Mackay posted on Facebook (pictured) on Monday to reveal the trap caught a massive saltwater crocodile just weeks before the woman filmed and uploaded the viral video.
“Is this man crazy to admit this and say it proves he’s safe?” one person said.
Mr Mackay explained that the Ord River is the only river in Australia that is protected from saltwater crocodiles.
He said only three crocodiles have been sighted and captured in the past two years and the reptiles are usually spotted during the rainy season.
Lake Argyle is home to the world’s largest population of Johnston River crocodiles, also known as Australian freshwater crocodiles.
Mr Mackay said he relies on rangers, who manage crocodile traps along the river, to inform him of crocodile sightings and he makes sure this information is communicated to his clients (pictured)
Swimming in the lake is considered to be “at your own risk” after authorities euthanized a 2.5-metre freshwater crocodile when it bit a woman in the lake in 2022.
Tourists are warned not to camp or swim on remote shores, where crocodiles may become defensive of their nests or basking spots.
Although it is mainly inhabited by freshwater crocodiles, visitors are also urged to watch out for saltwater crocodiles, which venture into the lake after the rains.
The Daily Mail has contacted the DBCA for further comment.