A helicopter pilot in Western Australia has captured the moment nine crocodiles were caught feasting on the carcass of a dead humpback whale.

Pilot John French was flying over the Montgomery Reef in the Kimberly region when he spotted a very large object laying on the exposed sand.

When Mr French took his helicopter in for a closer look he realised the dark mass was the body of a huge humpback whale.

John French captured the moment nine crocodiles were caught feasting on the carcass of a dead humpback whale in Western Australia

Mr French was flying over the Montgomery Reef in the Kimberly region when he spotted the decaying animal

The pilot returned the next day with passengers on board to have another look and caught a feeding frenzy of crocodiles.

'When we got there we counted nine crocodiles, quite big at around three metres probably, and they were just tiny compared to this whale, which was maybe a medium sized humpback, not a juvenile but a bit older,' Mr French told The Age.

Despite being three-metres long, the crocodiles appear tiny compared to the whale, which was exposed by slack tide.

Mr French said at least 14 crocodiles arrived to feast on the carcass as he flew closer

The smell of the decaying whale is believed to have attracted the crocodiles from across the reef

Mr French said at least 14 crocodiles arrived to feast on the carcass as he flew the Squirrel AS-350 closer.

The smell of the decaying whale is believed to have attracted the crocodiles from across the reef.

'Makes you wonder how many there really are hidden away,' Mr French said.

'It's very rare to see something like this.'