Understanding and Mitigating Saltwater Crocodile Attacks on Humans in Indonesia

About the seminar:

Indonesia reports more saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) attacks than any other country, yet national-scale analyses remain scarce. We compiled 1,217 attack records from 2016–2025, resulting in 588 fatalities. Nearly half of all incidents were concentrated in just five provinces — Riau, East Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara, Bangka-Belitung, and North Maluku — and both fatal and non-fatal attacks increased significantly over the decade, with marked escalation in several provinces. Victims were predominantly male, with adults aged 31–50 comprising the largest proportion. Fishing was the leading activity class associated with attacks nationally, followed by domestic and subsistence water use, including bathing and washing. However, provincial-level patterns diverged considerably: in Kalimantan and Sumatra, domestic and subsistence water use was significantly overrepresented, likely reflecting greater freshwater habitat availability and the consequent exposure of residents during freshwater-dependent activities. These findings underscore that effective mitigation cannot be approached uniformly. Province-specific strategies will be essential, informed by both ecological factors — such as crocodile population status and habitat availability — and socio-economic context, including W.A.S.H. infrastructure, primary livelihood types, and local cultural practices.

About the Presenter:

Brandon Sideleau is a PhD candidate at Charles Darwin University researching saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) attacks on humans across their entire range, with a focus on attack hotspots, victim demographics, contributing factors, and mitigation strategies. A member of the IUCN-SSC Crocodile Specialist Group since 2012, Brandon created CrocAttack, the worldwide crocodilian attack database formerly known as CrocBITE, in 2010. He has worked on human-crocodile conflict projects in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Timor-Leste, and delivered a TEDx talk on saltwater crocodile attacks at Charles Darwin University in 2025.

Registration for the event:

In-person: RSVP here
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Getting there:

Room 4.16, Level 4, 
CDU Danala Education and Community Precinct, 
54 Cavenaugh Street, 
Darwin. 

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