The giant crocodile Burt, who measured a whopping five meters long, was famous for his appearance in the Australian comedy Crocodile Dundee. Now the reptile has died at an estimated age of 90 in Crocosaurus Cove, an aquarium in Darwin.
Funeral message via Instagram
The aquarium announced the news of the crocodile’s death via Instagram on Monday, December 23rd. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Burt, the legendary saltwater crocodile and star of the Australian classic ‘Crocodile Dundee,'” reads the text, which was shared on the platform along with two photos of the animal. And further: “Burt was truly unique. He wasn’t just a crocodile, he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures.”
Read the full tribute from Crocosaurus Cove here:
The crocodile, weighing approximately 700 kilograms, had been living in Crocosaurus Cove in Darwin, Australia, since 2008. Burt was taken from the Reynolds River in 1980 and later discovered by filmmakers on a crocodile farm. The animal owes its name to Burt Reynolds, as Crocosaurus Cove managing director Penny Priest revealed to ABC.
First “Dundee” crocodile, then clairvoyant
Released in 1986, Crocodile Dundee remains the highest-grossing Australian film of all time. The comedy is about American journalist Sue Carlton from New York (played by Linda Kozlowski), who travels to the Australian outback in pursuit of the eccentric crocodile hunter Mick Dundee (played by Paul Hogan). In one scene, Burt made his big appearance: Dundee rescues the journalist from the claws of the huge crocodile, which has grabbed her water bottle and is threatening to pull her into its mouth. While much of the sequence was shot with models, Priest confirms, the scene was actually filmed with Burt’s movements and him climbing out of the water.
Penny Priest added to ABC that after becoming famous around the world, Burt began a new career as a psychic, predicting the results of World Cups and Australian elections – although his success rate was not 100 percent.