Australian authorities have launched an investigation into a U.S. influencer who has ignited a firestorm of controversy by capturing footage of himself trapping wild crocodiles in Queensland. Mike Holston is facing intense backlash for two videos he posted online for his millions of followers—one depicting him wrestling a freshwater crocodile, and another showing him manhandling a saltwater crocodile, one of the deadliest creatures on Earth.
Mr. Holston claims the videos were made for "educational purposes," but wildlife experts have condemned his actions as cruel, and the state's leader has branded him a "goose." Queensland officials have declared the influencer's behavior both "extremely dangerous and illegal," warning that such actions could result in fines of up to A$37,500 (£18,300, $24,776).
In a video posted to his Instagram last week, Mr. Holston—known on social media as "The Real Tarzann"—can be seen leaping into shallow waters to pursue a freshwater crocodile. The animal draws blood before Mr. Holston subdues it, with cries echoing in the background. "This is what dreams are made of," the influencer declares in the footage, adding that he had longed to visit Australia since childhood.
A second video shows Mr. Holston wading into marshland to capture a juvenile saltwater crocodile. Typically one of the world's most aggressive reptiles, the animal appears largely limp as he grasps it by the neck and hoists it up for the camera. In both videos, he releases the animals back into the wild.
A spokesperson for Queensland's environment department confirmed that officials are investigating the incidents, which seem to have been filmed along the Lockhart River in Cape York. "Let us be clear: people should not attempt to capture freshwater or saltwater crocodiles in Queensland unless they are trained and licensed to do so," the statement read.
Instant fines of A$8,345 apply to anyone caught interfering with a saltwater crocodile in Queensland, though penalties can soar to more than four times that amount in some cases. The state government also introduced new legislation last year aimed at cracking down on dangerous crocodile interactions, including making it an offense to unintentionally feed a crocodile by discarding food that attracts the reptiles to public spaces.
While Mr. Holston's videos have garnered massive views—and likes—online, condemnation of his actions has also been growing. Crocodile experts have raised concerns about the saltwater crocodile featured in particular, noting that it was unusual for the animal not to thrash about in an attempt to escape.
The father of the late Australian naturalist Steve Irwin has also weighed in, suggesting that individuals like Mr. Holston should be "booted out the door" if they fail to respect Australia's wildlife. Mr. Irwin emphasized that the behavior was a far cry from the activities of his own son—who died in 2006 at the age of 44. "This isn't a Steve Irwin issue. This is about an individual illegally interfering with protected fauna," Mr. Irwin said in a statement.
"Anyone who truly knows how to handle crocodiles understands that they don't respond well to capture. It's a specialized skill to do so without causing dangerous stress and lactic acid build-up—and this bloke clearly had no clue," he continued.
He added that social media is playing a significant role in "glorifying" harmful wildlife interactions and called for stricter penalties for such behavior, noting that current fines are "laughable" compared to the money that can be made online. "These posts can have disastrous consequences for both people and wildlife," he warned.
Mr. Holston, however, has defended his actions. In a comment on the video of him handling the saltwater crocodile, he stated that the animal had been released "after a few up-close looks and photos." He emphasized that he did not "encourage anyone to try to recreate" the videos.
The outrage over Mr. Holston's videos comes just months after another U.S. influencer faced widespread condemnation for posting a video of herself taking a baby wombat from the side of a road. She appeared to be laughing and running away from the distraught mother wombat. Even Prime Minister Anthony Albanese weighed in on the discussion back in March, suggesting to the woman, Sam Jones, that she try the same with animals that "can actually fight back." "Take a baby crocodile from its mother and see how you go there," he remarked.
She left the country soon after the uproar erupted.
