Australia looking to increase its crocodile-based products exports

Australia is planning on increases its exports of crocodile-based products in 2016, due to a hike in population of the reptiles following decades of official protection.

The government of the Northern Territory is particularly forecasting a significant increase in the number of seawater crocodile eggs that will be harvested, under a new Saltwater Crocodile Wildlife Trade Management Plan (WTMP) spread out several years.

"Significantly, the WTMP supports the growth of industry by allowing an annual harvest ceiling of 90,000 viable eggs and 1,200 animals," said Willem Westra van Holthe, Minister for Land Resource Management Minister, in a statement.

"This represents a 40 percent increase for eggs and a 100 percent rise for animals over the previous five-year plan limit."

Raised in the wild, the eggs are placed in incubators on crocodile farms. The live animals could be used for breeding or the export of skin and body parts.

The saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) lives in marshes and rivers in coastal regions in the north of the country and is also at home in freshwater. It can weigh up to a ton and measure 7 metres in length, making it the largest living reptile. 

Before the 1970s, these creatures were considered a nuisance and were almost hunted to extinction before they were put under official protection in 1971. Since then, their numbers have come back up. 

There are now an estimated more than 150,000 in Australia, constituting a possible increase in danger for swimmers, boaters and fishermen. One to two people are killed every year by them.

Several hundred of the crocodiles are currently killed every year by State services as a measure of protection.

Australia's Environment Minister Greg Hunt rejected the idea of crocodile safari hunts in 2014, saying they risked "cruel and inhumane" behaviour.