Featured Image Credit: Instagram/therealtarzan
Topics: Australia, Social Media, World News
Jen Thomas
An American influencer's videos of him wrestling wild crocodiles are being investigated by Australian authorities, with some animal welfare groups calling for his deportation.
Mike Holston, who is known online as 'Real Tarzan', has built up millions of followers on social media thanks to his encounters with snakes, alligators and crocodiles in Australia.
However, the influencer is facing severe backlash for two videos in particular, in which he is seen manhandling a freshwater and saltwater crocodile on two separate occasions.
In one of the videos posted on his Instagram, Holston can be seen jumping into the water to chase the freshwater crocodile, with the animal drawing some blood before being secured.
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Meanwhile, the second video shows him in the marshlands with a young saltwater crocodile; both videos show the animals being released.
While he has said the videos were made for 'educational purposes', Australian authorities and wildlife experts have stated otherwise.
According to the BBC, Queensland officials, where the videos were filmed, have called Holston's actions 'extremely dangerous and illegal', adding that such behaviour can end up in fines of up to A$37,500 (£18,300).
Meanwhile, animal activist group PETA have called his videos 'incredibly cruel' and 'unfathomably stupid', and called for him to be 'deported and banned from entering Australia again'.
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And even Steve Irwin's father, Bob Irwin, has spoken out against Holston, saying on Wednesday (10 September): "People visiting our country need to respect our wildlife, or they need to be booted out the door."
Another animal welfare group, called the Community Representation of Crocodiles (CROC), also claimed that they've had numerous people reach out regarding the videos, adding: "It has been reported to the Queensland Government many times,"
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli also had some choice words for the influencer, including calling him a 'goose'.
He said that anyone thinking of making content like this was likely to 'meet their maker'.
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"If you think that is a sustainable business model to go wrestling with saltwater crocodiles, I think it's probably not going to end the way that he thinks it's going to," Crisafulli said (via Australian Broadcasting Network).
He further clarified that immigration concerns and any immigration requests are up to the federal government to decide, however.
Holston has defended his videos, according to the BBC, as he wrote in a comment on the video of him with the saltwater crocodile that it was released 'after a few up-close looks and photos'. He also said that he didn't 'encourage anyone to try to recreate' his videos.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Environment Department has confirmed that they are investigating the videos, saying in a statement: "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."
LADbible Group has contacted Holston for comment.