Humpback whales have been spotted in a Kakadu River. So in a fight with a crocodile, who would win?

In recent months, three humpback whales have been spotted in the East Alligator River in the Kakadu National Park of the Northern Territory. Contrary to its name, the river is not full of alligators but of crocodiles. And its shallow waters are no place for a bus-sized whale.

It was the first time that humpback whales were recorded in the river and the story was making international news. In recent days, a whale has been spotted near the mouth of the river and scientists are watching it closely.

The strange detour of the whales has raised many questions. How did they get into the river? What will they eat? Would they be stuck on the muddy river bank?

And of course, there was a big question that was asked to me time and time again: In a match between a crocodile and a humpback whale, which animal would win?

Scientists take double

Humpback whales were first spotted in September this year by marine ecologist Jason Fowler and other scientists on a fishing trip. Fowler told ABC: “I noticed a big beak, a strong blow on the horizon and I thought it was a big dolphin … We were arguing madly among ourselves about what we were actually seeing. After four hours of furious debate. we decided to be watching humpback whales in a river “.

The whales had swum about 20 kilometers upstream. Fowler photographed the humpback whales’ dorsal fins as evidence and reported the unusual sighting to authorities and scientists.

Fortunately, two whales returned to the sea alone, leaving only one in need of help. It was feared that it might run aground in the shallow, murky waters. If it happened, then it could be attacked by crocodiles – We’ll talk more about that in a minute.

Experts considered a variety of tactics to encourage the whale to return to the sea. These included physical barriers such as nets or boats and the reproduction of the sounds of killer whales, known predators of humpback whales.

But none of these options were necessary. After 17 days, the last whale returned to the sea by itself.

The whale that spent two weeks in the river recently returned and was spotted swimming around the river mouth. He appears to have lost weight, most likely the result of migration. It is now being monitored nearby in the Gulf of Van Diemen.

Questions are now being raised about the animal’s health and why it didn’t head south to Antarctica’s feeding waters.

So why were the whales in the river?

Whales are part of Australia’s west coast humpback whale population, which travel from the cold feeding waters off Antarctica to the warm waters of the Kimberley to reproduce each year.

There are various theories as to why they swam in the East Alligator River. Humpback whales are extremely curious and may have entered the river to explore the area.

Alternatively, they may have made a navigational error, also the possible reason behind the mass stranding of pilot whales in Tasmania in September.

And the big question: what about crocs?

In the long run, a humpback whale’s chances of surviving in the East Alligator River are slim. The lower salinity level can cause them skin problems and they can get stuck in the shallow water, unable to move away from the muddy shore. Here the animal could die from overheating, or its organs could be crushed by the weight of its body. Or, of course, the whale can be attacked by crocodiles.

In this case, my bet would be on the whale, if it were in relatively good condition and could swim well. Humpback whales are amazing and powerful creatures. A flick of their large tail would often be enough to send a crocodile away.

If a crocodile bit a whale, their teeth would likely penetrate the whale’s skin and thick fat. But it would take a lot more to do serious damage. Whale skin has been shown to heal after traumatic events, including the case of a humpback whale being cut from a boat propeller in Sydney 20 years ago. Nicknamed Bladerunner, he survived but still bears deep scars.

And then?

Whale watching continues to fascinate experts. Scientists hope to take samples of whale poop in the Gulf of Van Diemen and may even collect whale snot to learn more about its health. However, the best scenario would be to see the whale happily swimming in offshore waters.

This unusual story will undoubtedly remain in the history of Australian whales. If nothing else, it reminds us of the vulnerability – and resilience – of these marine giants.

This article was republished by The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.