by Jameelah Mullen
September 12, 2025
The influencer shared two videos with his 15 million Instagram followers, and the internet calls out the double standards
Australian authorities say they are investigating an American social media influencer after he posted a series of videos showing him capturing crocodiles in Queensland.
Mike Holston, a scientist known as “The Real Tarzan” on social media, posted two videos on Instagram, including one where he appears to wrestle a crocodile before taking a photo with the animal.
In another video, Holston captures what he calls a juvenile saltwater crocodile. According to officials, it is unusual for people to catch crocodiles this easily.
“These actions are extremely dangerous and illegal, and we are actively exploring strong compliance action, including fines to deter any person from this type of behavior,” the Queensland Environment Department said in a statement, NBC News reported.
In a comment, Holston noted that he filmed the video of the saltwater crocodile for educational purposes. The wildlife conservationists said that he filmed the videos on “aboriginal protected land” and does not encourage his followers to attempt to recreate his videos.
Holston faced backlash on social media—one commenter said they hoped he got eaten, and others accused him of imposing cruelty on animals. Others noted the double standard. They pointed out how public reaction to Holston’s posts differed from the response to similar content shared by non-Black media personalities.
“I’m honestly really confused as to why the uproar. Didn’t the “national icon,” the Crocodile Hunter, not make a career out of this? How is what he is doing any different?” One social media user asked.
“I see all white folks commenting angrily here cause he’s a black man doing the unthinkable! If he was white, you would be congratulating him instead! Pathetic mindsets!, an Instagrammer commented.
Conservationist Bob Irwin, father of the late Steve Irwin, who is also known as The Crocodile Hunter, slammed Holston’s video and demanded harsher penalties for social media personalities visiting Australia.
“People visiting our country need to respect our wildlife, or they need to be booted out the door,” Irwin told News.com.au.
Bob Corwin’s son, Steve Cowirin, rose to fame in the late 1990s through his wildlife reality show The Crocodile Hunter, where cameras filmed his encounters with crocodiles, similar to the Holston videos. Irwin died suddenly in 2006 when a stingray fatally pierced his chest while he was filming his show.
Both saltwater and freshwater crocodiles can range from approximately 6 feet to 13 feet in length and can weigh over 600 pounds, according to the Queensland Environment Department.
The maximum penalty for interfering with a crocodile is a fine of $25,000 USD.
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