Crocodylus johnsoni
Silhouette: Steven Traver · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus johnstoni), also known commonly as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnstone's crocodile, Johnstone river crocodile and the freshie, is a species of crocodile native to the northern regions of Australia. Unlike its much larger Australian relative, the saltwater crocodile, the freshwater crocodile is not known as a man-eater, although it only bites in self-defence, and brief, nonfatal attacks have occurred, apparently the result of mistaken identity.
When Gerard Krefft named the species in 1873, he intended to commemorate the man who first sent him preserved specimens, Australian native police officer and amateur naturalist Robert Arthur Johnstone (1843–1905). However, Krefft made an error in writing the name, and for many years, the species has been known as C. johnsoni. Recent studies of Krefft's papers have determined the correct spelling of the name, and much of the literature has been updated to the correct usage, but both versions still exist. According to the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, the epithet johnstoni (rather than the original johnsoni) is correct.
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| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Freshwater Crocodile sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 48th most-seen of the 54 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and October
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Freshwater Crocodile in Kakadu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September and November–May, the lowest months. Those are among Kakadu National Park's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain a month against 350 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Freshwater Crocodile sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Freshwater Crocodile sightings, Kakadu National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Nitmiluk National Park (Australia, about 80%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Freshwater Crocodile is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Kakadu National Park (5 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
