Canadian Colton Macaulay was seen holding a small crocodile in a viral video that was shared across social media and led to a large backlash from people online
An influencer has sparked outrage after picking up a dangerous Australian animal before calling it a “little b****.”
Canadian Colton Macaulay, who goes by the handles @kingcoltyy and coltyy online, uploaded the clip to his 16 million followers across numerous platforms. The 27-year-old Nova Scotia student is best known for his content involving challenges with exotic animals.
In a now-deleted video shared on numerous platforms showed Macaulay picking up a baby freshwater crocodile out of a creek with his bare hands at night. He then lifted it up for the camera as it thrashed about.
His voice over said: “Hey guys, I’m in Australia right now, and we just yoinked a freshwater croc. I don’t think he was happy about it because he started making these sounds like a chainsaw. Or maybe that’s the sound they make when they decide to cry like a little b****.”
The small crocodile had its jaw wide open and was making a shrieking noise as Macaulay held it by the neck. Freshwater crocodiles are not considered to be as dangerous to humans as they tend to avoid them, although they can bite if they feel threatened.
Australian outlet News.com.au said it was not aware if any investigations were being held into the incident. It is also not clear if Macauley had a permit for his pursuits.
It was not clear where the video was filmed, although the species is known to be found in the northern regions of the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. The video was initially uploaded on January 27, but he had been posting videos from Australia up until this week.
But the backlash has been swift, with many slamming the clip after it racked up 500,000 views. One said: “How stupid are you?” Another commented it was “a disgrace.”
Crocodile expert and conversationalist Paul Bowen told news.com.au if the video was filmed in Queensland: “No one can handle crocodiles in the wild, unless they’re from Australia Zoo Crocodile Research Team or work for the Department of Environmental and Science Crocodile Team.
“No random person can obtain a permit to catch crocodiles unless it is specifically for research purposes. “He added that as Macaulay is a foreign visitor, it would be unlikely he had a permit.
He continued: “Permits are generally required for specific activities like farming, education, or egg harvesting.” A spokesperson for Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water told news.com.au, “A person may commit an offence if they take or move a member of a listed threatened species from in or on a Commonwealth area without approval.”
The Mirror has contacted Macaulay for comment via his main Instagram account.