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    Saltwater crocodile

    A few decades ago, the number of saltwater crocodiles in Australia had dwindled to almost zero. That’s why the government put the species under federal protection in 1974. The effort paid off in a big way. In 2012, there are about 100,000 of the crocs swimming in Australian waters. In fact, many feel the recovery may have been a little bit too successful. The crocs can be aggressive and are extremely dangerous. After all, the saltwater crocodile has the most powerful bite of any animal on the face of the planet. And now that the croc population is thriving, attacks on humans are ramping up. After several deadly attacks over the past few years, calls have been increasing to actually cull the “salty” population back before it grows out of control.