Reptile star of 'Crocodile Dundee' dies at 90
SYDNEY, Australia — An Australian saltwater crocodile who starred in the hit film "Crocodile Dundee" has died aged 90, the reptile's zoo confirmed Tuesday.
Burt, the five meter reptile died "peacefully" according to a statement from the Darwin aquarium, where he lived in Crocosaurus Cove, "Burt's life story is one of strength, resilience, and a personality as bold as the Top End (Northern Territory) itself."
The "confirmed bachelor" was captured in a Northern Territory river in the 1980s, before he became "one of the most recognized crocodiles in the world," the aquarium's statement said.
"Burt was truly one of a kind. He wasn't just a crocodile; he was a force of nature and a reminder of the power and majesty of these incredible creatures."
In "Crocodile Dundee," Burt was used in a scene where American reporter Sue Charlton, played by Linda Kozlowski, is attacked by a crocodile while refilling her water bottle, only to be rescued by Paul Hogan's Mick Dundee.
The scene used footage of Burt "launching out of the water," Penny Priest, chief executive of Crocosaurus Cove, told national broadcaster ABC, "Obviously, he wasn't in the whole scene, but that was where he made his debut."
The aquarium, where Burt lived since 2008, thanked everyone who visited him and urged the public to remember the importance of conserving wildlife.
Post "Crocodile Dundee" fame, Burt stayed in the spotlight thanks to his alleged psychic abilities, predicting elections and the outcome of major sporting events — with mixed success.
Government figures suggest more than 100,000 "salties" — many of which can grow over six meters long and weigh more than 1,000 kilograms — hunt along the coasts, rivers and wetlands of the continent's far north.
