Burt, the giant crocodile who starred in the film ‘Crocodile Dundee‘ (1986) alongside Paul Hogan and Linda Kozlowski, has died at the age of 90 at the aquarium where he lived, Crocosaurus Cove, in the Australian city of Darwin.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Burt, the iconic saltwater crocodile and star of the Australian classic ‘Crocodile Dundee’. Burt passed away peacefully over the weekend and was estimated to be over 90 years old, marking the end of an incredible era,” the aquarium said in a statement on its official Facebook page.
Burt was a giant saltwater crocodile measuring 5.1 metres and weighing 700 kilograms and was named after Burt Reynolds because he was caught in the Reynolds River in the 1980s.
He became one of the world’s most recognised crocodiles after appearing in the film “and helped shape the image of Australia as a land of rugged natural beauty and stunning wildlife,” the aquarium stresses.
Burt, who arrived at Crocosaurus Cove in 2008, was known for his independent nature and was a confirmed bachelor, the park recalls, saying that “his fiery temperament earned him the respect of his keepers and visitors alike, as he embodied the raw, untamed spirit of the saltwater crocodile“.
