The owner of a tour company has responded to a tourist who posted an image of a crocodile trap near an area where customers were canoeing on the river, denying suggestions that the families are in danger.
Adam Mackay, who runs Go Wild Adventure Tours in Kununurra in Western Australia’s remote Kimberley region, slammed the woman for posting a video showing tour participants in danger because the trap indicated crocodiles were nearby.
Mr Mackay told Daily Mail Australia she had “no idea” what measures were in place to protect tourists, even though saltwater crocodiles had been spotted in the area.
He said park rangers and “the whole community” are on the lookout for crocodiles, and said the presence of traps was the very reason he felt confident people could safely get on or into the water.
“Look at this tirade from someone who has no clue!” he posted on Facebook in response to the tourist’s video.
‘That trap (in the video) has already caught a 6ft saltimbocca a few weeks BEFORE this video was taken. That’s how we know the area is safe.
That’s what traps are for.
‘This is the only river in Australia that is protected from saltwater rivers, so anyone who knows about it can swim and play here.’
Adam Mackay (pictured), who runs Go Wild Adventure Tours in Kununurra, said tourists have ‘no idea’ of the safety measures in place to protect visitors
Mr Mackay, who runs the travel company ‘Econoeing Tours’, which offers tourists certified, self-guided camping and canoeing trips, explained to Daily Mail Australia that very few crocodiles are spotted in the river.
He said that at the Ivanhoe Crossing, a raised path at the bottom of the Ord River, many people wade into the water, even though it is a known habitat for saltwater crocodiles.
According to Mr Mackay, there are many people swimming in the water at weekends.
The stretch of river the female tourist filmed is protected from crocodiles, he said, with traps and a removal program managed by park rangers.
“They’re clearly city people projecting their values onto ours. They have no idea what’s going on here,” he said.
Mr Mackay, who has run the company for 25 years, says the clip has caused people to overreact to the potential dangers of using the waterway.
‘What it’s done… I have clients who go [on a guided tour] on Thursday and they called me after they saw the post and asked, ‘Are you sure it’s safe?'” he said.
Mr Mackay posted a message on Facebook on Monday explaining that the fall the woman filmed was an important safety measure.
He explained that the cage contained a massive 6-foot saltwater crocodile just weeks before the woman posted the video.
The crocodile was the same one that had been accidentally released from the trap a few months ago.
The Western Australia Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) is responsible for managing the trap.
As part of its ranger program, the company has placed six traps along Lake Kununurra, which is located in the upper Ord River.
Mr Mackay (pictured centre), who has run the business for 25 years, said the clip posted by a tourist showing a crocodile trap had caused people to overreact to 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, causing a stir among those who went to the area
I trust them [the rangers] to keep me informed. If they keep me informed, I have to stand in front of my clients and say, ‘Do you know we have a confirmed sighting? [of a crocodile]’ said Mr Mackay.
‘Most people still choose to participate.’
On social media, people supported Mr Mackay and praised his knowledge and experience in organising tours.
“His tours are extremely safe, well planned and the highlight of my teaching career,” one wrote.
Others criticized the woman for her criticism of activities at the river.
‘I would suggest that tourists should police themselves! Why do they come to the Kimberley region in the first place?’ wrote someone else.
Some were shocked when Mr Mackay said the large crocodile had been caught in the trap just weeks before the woman visited the river.
Mr Mackay posted a message on Facebook on Monday (pictured) revealing that the trap had captured a huge saltwater crocodile, just weeks before the woman filmed and uploaded the viral video
“Is this man crazy to admit this and say it proves it’s safe!” someone asked.
Mr Mackay explained that the Ord River is the only river in Australia protected from saltwater crocodiles.
He said only three crocodiles have been sighted and captured in the past two years and the reptiles are mostly seen during the rainy season.
Lake Argyle is home to the largest population of Johnston River crocodiles in the world, also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile.
Mr Mackay said he relies on rangers who manage the crocodile traps along the river to inform him of crocodile sightings and he ensures this information is communicated to his clients (pictured).
Swimming in the lake is ‘at your own risk’ after authorities euthanised a 2.5-metre freshwater crocodile in 2022 after it bit a woman in the lake.
Tourists are warned not to camp or swim along remote shorelines as crocodiles may defend their nests or sunbathing areas.
Although the lake is mainly home to freshwater crocodiles, visitors should also beware of the ‘salties’, which venture into the lake after rainfall.
The Daily Mail has contacted the DBCA for further comment.