Many of us will be familiar with the various before and after-school PSA commercials that came on in between cartoons on television in the ’90s. They would teach you about pool safety, being sun smart, or crossing the road safely, usually with a catchy song.

In the Northern Territory, their concerns are a little different, but the approach from the government is much the same. Case in point, the NT government recently unveiled a bizarre new music video, which aims to teach kids and families about crocodile safety.

As the Daily Mail reports, the two-minute video, which was seemingly inspired by Dumb Ways To Die and features a surprisingly catchy rap from a bloodthirsty crocodile, was released as part of the government’s ‘Be Crocwise’ campaign and we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t a little disturbing.

“You got to be croc wise if you’re hanging near the water / Keep a sharp eye on your son and your daughter”, the song begins, pleasantly enough. “Crocodiles are deadly just remember that they’re deadly; if you’re hanging round the water you have got to use your head see?

What makes the clip a little perturbing is the way the reptilian star keeps snuffing out other cast members. At one point, he even snaps the head off grandma, in addition to several children who were just happily dancing next to the croc.

As you can see in the video embed below, the croc repeatedly takes time out from singing and dancing to slaughter his costars, as the rest simply keep on smiling and dancing, presumably to keep from angering the crocodile further and suffering its wrath.

[include_post id=”229048″]

The video ultimately does a pretty bang-up job of getting its message across, reminding NT residents that crocodile numbers have increased in the state dramatically since 1971, when a ban on hunting the reptiles was introduced. As a result, crocs can also now be found in places they previously were not.

“The Northern Territory Government Parks and Wildlife Commission actively manages saltwater crocodiles to reduce the risk of crocodile attack across the Top End, with the exception of Australian Government controlled lands such as Kakadu National Park,’ a government spokesperson said.

“In the Top End, many people live and participate in recreation activities in and near waterways. People need to be CROCWISE and know how to enjoy the waters in safety. CROCWISE integrates public education and active crocodile management by the Northern Territory Government to reduce the risk of crocodile attacks in the Top End.”

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine