The answer is no. While it's true that the native New Zealand herpetofauna (reptiles and amphibians) includes several species of skink, gecko, and tuatara, there are no crocodiles in New Zealand! This may come as a surprise to some, since crocodiles exist in nearby Australia.
You won't find crocodiles or alligators in New Zealand. But, another animal with sharp teeth and a jaw strong enough to do serious harm does swim in the waters around New Zealand – the great white shark. More common in Australia than in New Zealand; there have been 16 shark attacks between 2013 and now.
Unlike New Zealand's neighbours, Australia, there are no animals out here that are out to kill you. While New Zealand wildlife is quite safe, there is, however, three types of spider that can hurt if they bite (which is a rare occurrence): the white-tailed spider, redback spider and the katipo spider.
The Malayan Sun Bear is the smallest of the world's bear species. The female at the Wellington Zoo is currently the only bear in New Zealand.
Australia is home to only two species of crocodile, but can boast having the largest; the Saltwater Crocodile. Although 'salties' can live in the sea, they prefer estuaries and freshwater swamps across northern Australia and will often venture inland during the breeding season.
"Crocodiles do not occur in Tasmania naturally and the only logical explanation I can see is that people could have had crocodiles in their private dwellings then released them into the wild as they got bigger," Mr Norton said.
Crocodiles have been known to be as far south as the Mary River in Gympie. This is only about 167km from Brisbane and only 52km from the Great Sandy National Park. More astonishingly, this is a whopping 449km away from the northern points of Queensland where they are typically found.
New Zealand is one of the only completely snake-free countries in the world. The sole exception to this comes from two types of saltwater-dwelling sea snakes. Anyone caught trying to bring snakes into New Zealand faces heavy fines and potential jail time.
The katipō (Latrodectus katipo) and the redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti) belong to the same genus as the American black widow spider. These two are the only venomous spiders found in New Zealand. In both species, it is the adult females that are capable of biting humans.
The islands boast a wide array of predators and venomous creatures that could cause harm if encountered. Among the most dangerous animals in Fiji include crocodiles, sharks, sea snakes, stonefish, jellyfish, and cone snails – all capable of delivering painful stings or bites that can be fatal.
Great White Sharks
Great white sharks are more common in the waters around Australia, but you will find them in New Zealand too. These incredible creatures are one of the world's apex predators and unfortunately, there have been fatal incidents in Aotearoa. The most recent of these was in 2021 in the North Island.
New Zealand doesn't just lack native mammals — it is devoid of native land predators in general. With other birds their only predators, prehistoric birds found safety on the ground. And with tiresome flying no longer a priority, they gradually evolved to be flightless.
New Zealand is home to about 2500 kinds of spiders, most of them harmless to people. Only some spiders are capable of biting humans. There are three species of spiders in New Zealand that should be avoided – the Katipo, the Redback and the White-tailed Spider.
Tarcoles River - highest populations of crocodiles in world - 25 crocs per square kilometer - Picture of Jose's Crocodile River Tour, Tarcoles - Tripadvisor.
From the sightings described above, it thus appears not only that is it possible for a large specimen of C. porosus to cross the stretch of ocean between Australia and New Zealand, but also that this event may well have occurred at some time in the past.
There are no alligators in Australia, only crocodiles. They can live in either fresh or saltwater and are found across much of the top coast of Australia. Both fresh and saltwater crocodiles live throughout Kakadu National Park, so if you do happen to see one, be sure to ask your guide about which species it may be.
1. There are no snakes. Much like Hawaii, New Zealand is an island grouping devoid of native snakes. It also has no deadly spiders, killer jellyfish, or other creepy crawlies that are likely to kill you.
The most poisonous animal in the world lives off the coast of Australia: the box jellyfish. This jellyfish - also known as cube jellyfish or stinger - has 15 long tentacles that are full of deadly poison.
Australian Box Jellyfish
The box jellyfish is the world's most venomous animal with four species — Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi, Malo kingi, and Chironex yamaguchii — considered highly venomous. The Chironex fleckeri, also known as the Australian box jellyfish is considered the most venomous animal in the world.
No, Kangaroos are not to be found in the New Zealand wild. Let us explain. New Zealand is a close neighbouring nation to Australia – the real native home of Kangaroos. However, unlike in Australia, Kangaroos are not native to New Zealand, despite numerous claims by tourists and even locals of Kangaroo sightings.
Which Country Has the Most Snakes? Brazil has more snake species than any other country in the world. There are over 375 species living in this country, some harmless and some dangerous. Brazil is home to 60% of the South American rainforest, which is a fertile breeding ground for these reptiles.
Norfolk Island is a very safe place to visit. There are no snakes on the island, and most of our spiders are harmless (even the big ones). To make sure your adventure in the national park is safe and enjoyable, we recommend following these simple guidelines.
There are more saltwater crocodiles in the NT than Queensland and Western Australia (WA). A large proportion of the coastal region of the NT is an ideal habitat for saltwater crocodiles, particularly the big, productive coastal wetlands and rivers.
The Mary River in the Northern Territory has 15 crocodiles per km, making it the most densely populated river! The temperature of the egg determines the sex of the animal.
There are thought to be around 200,000 Saltwater Crocodiles in Australia, with the most found in the areas surrounding Darwin and the Mary River. Over the years, they have been hunted for their skins and have almost been brought to extinction on a number of occasions.