Crocodile Controversy: US Influencer Investigated in Australia

Australian officials are looking into a US influencer who filmed himself catching wild crocodiles in Queensland and caused a lot of anger.

Mike Holston, who is known on social media as “The Real Tarzann,” has a reputation for documenting risky wildlife encounters with his millions of online fans. But his most recent adventures in Australia could have gone too far. He shared two films of himself catching freshwater and saltwater crocodiles, which are not only illegal to catch in Australia but also among of the most dangerous reptiles in the world.

Holston defended what he did by saying that his movies were only made for “educational purposes.” Experts, legislators, and animal enthusiasts have all sharply criticized his actions, calling them irresponsible, cruel, and against the law. The Premier of Queensland even called the influencer a “goose” for putting himself and the animals in danger.

The Department of Environment in Queensland has said that Holston’s acts are now being looked at by the police. Holston could face big fines if he is found guilty of messing with protected wildlife. The maximum fine is A$37,500 (£18,300, $24,776).

What did the videos of crocodiles really show?

Holston can be seen running into shallow water in a secluded part of Cape York in one of the videos he posted to Instagram. He lunges at a freshwater crocodile and wrestles with it, causing injuries to both the man and the animal. The reptile bites him and draws blood before he finally gets it under control.

Holston smiles at the camera and says, “This is what dreams are made of,” even though it was clear that he was in danger. He also says that he had always wanted to go to Australia to see its most dangerous animals up close.

A second video, which may be even more controversial, shows Holston going into wetlands to catch a baby saltwater crocodile. People know saltwater crocodiles for being big, strong, and aggressive. But the baby reptile seems unusually calm in Holston’s hands. He grabs it by the neck, lifts it up for the camera, and strikes a victory stance before letting it go back into the wild.

Some of his admirers liked the stunts, but a lot of people were upset by how the animals were treated. Experts were quick to point out that these animals go through a lot of stress when they are handled for fun, and this might hurt them for a long time.

What places did the crocodile attacks happen in?

The movies were made in Lockhart River, which is a small Aboriginal hamlet on Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland. This area is famed for its beautiful, untouched wilderness and large numbers of crocodiles. There are a lot of crocodiles here since both freshwater and saltwater animals do well here.

The Department of Environment in Queensland made it clear what they thought: “Let us be clear: people should not try to catch freshwater or saltwater crocodiles in Queensland unless they are trained and licensed to do so.”

The spokeswoman said that only trained wildlife officers can handle crocodiles, and they only do so when they are in a controlled setting.

To deal with more people and crocodiles coming into contact with each other, the Queensland government made the regulations tougher in 2023. These include punishments for both intentional and unintentional feeding, including leaving food remnants in places where crocodiles might be drawn to people. The goal is to keep people and animals safe from risky situations.

What do wildlife specialists think of the crocodile videos?

People who study crocodiles and people who care about the environment all agreed that Holston’s actions were wrong. They said that the saltwater crocodile in the video was abnormally calm, which could mean it was tired or very anxious.

Steve Irwin’s father, who is also a famous wildlife expert, said that Holston had no idea what he was doing. “This isn’t about Steve Irwin,” he said. This is about someone breaking the law by messing with protected animals. People who really know how to deal with crocodiles realize that they don’t like being caught. It’s a rare skill to do it without putting yourself in risk of stress and lactic acid build-up, and this guy definitely didn’t know how.

He also pointed out a bigger issue: how social media affects people. Dangerous acts regularly go viral, and people who make content may put themselves and animals in danger to get likes and views. “These posts can be very bad for both people and animals,” he said. He also said that the present punishments are not enough compared to the money influencers can make online. Read another article on Australia federal election 2025

How did Holston respond to the response from crocodile?

Holston justified his actions even though others were upset about them. He wrote under his video of a saltwater crocodile, “The croc was let go after a few close-ups and pictures were taken.” I don’t think anyone should try to make or act out these films!

But his defense hasn’t done much to quiet the anger. Many people say that letting the animals go after they have been caught does not fix the damage that was done during the catch. They also say that Holston’s millions of fans might try to copy what he does, which could have severe effects.

What is the reason for the strict protection of crocodiles in Queensland?

Crocodiles are famous in Australia, especially in Queensland and the Northern Territory. They are also protected by state and federal conservation regulations. Hunting for their skins caused a lot of problems for saltwater crocodiles in the middle of the 20th century. In several places, they were almost extinct by the 1970s.

Since they were protected in 1974, their numbers have grown a lot. Today, there are tens of thousands of these top predators in Queensland, and people are keenly watching how they interact with crocodiles.

Officials stress how important crocodiles are to the ecosystems they live in. They control fish populations, keep wetlands healthy, and are very important to Indigenous culture and history. Because of these things, it is highly severe to bother or use them for fun.

Has this type of influencer scandal happened before?

The Holston event is not the only one like it. Just a few months ago, another American influencer named Sam Jones made many quite angry when she shared a video of herself picking up a newborn wombat off the side of the road. People saw her giggling as she raced away from the mother who was upset.

The event made news throughout the world and got a strong response from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. He suggested that Jones could instead try to take a young crocodile from its mother and see how it goes. The influencer departed Australia not long after the uproar.

These kinds of events show how influencer culture and animal protection are becoming more at odds with each other. Social media can help people learn more about animals, but it can also make people act carelessly to get attention and interaction.

What happens next in the search for the crocodile?

Queensland officials are still looking at Holston’s footage to see if they will file charges against him. If he is found guilty, he could have to pay thousands of dollars in fines or potentially be banned from handling wildlife in the future.

For now, the episode has brought back calls for stiffer punishments and stricter rules against filming interactions with wildlife for social media. Conservationists say that Australia has to prevent its unique animals from being used for internet fame.

Steve Irwin’s father said, “People who don’t respect Australia’s wildlife should be kicked out.”

The end

The crocodile issue around Mike Holston has led to a bigger discussion about how social media affects how people interact with nature. Holston said his movies were informative, but experts say they set a bad example, encourage people to mimic him, and put animals in danger.

The laws in Queensland are there to protect humans and animals, and this case shows why those restrictions are important. Holston’s activities have shown how important it is for influencers to be responsible when they interact with nature, whether or not he has to pay fines.

The story isn’t just about one man and a crocodile; it’s also about how modern media culture clashes with ancient, strong animals that should be treated with respect and kept safe.