The heavens flash in galvanised brilliance as a hulking torso slips from the murk, lifts a lipless snout and bellows.

This electrical storm is a pure, unadulterated aphrodisiac for the crocodile, but the sex frenzy that ensues is a bland romp compared to the all-out bacchanalia that follows a later visit from a low-flying Chinook helicopter.

The Singapore Air Force is involved in a military agreement that allows it to operate Chinook helicopters in central Queensland.

"They're probably using it as a bit of a cue to say, 'Hey the wet's coming' … and it's a good time to start mating so the eggs are ready to be laid at just the right time," Dr Baker says.

Dr Baker suggests male crocodiles might mistake the sound of a helicopter for a competing bull, and rush to ensure their seed takes root before this fictive lothario acts upon its lascivious intentions.