Just days after a crocodile knocked two travellers out of their tinny near Darwin with tragic consequences, a saltie that has been climbing onto the back of boats near the Kimberley town of Wyndham has been trapped.
The 3.8-metre reptile was caught in a trap set by the Balanggarra rangers and Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPAW) staff.
“It was trailing boats, climbing onto the back of boats and also onto the floating pontoon jetty,” DPAW district manager Luke Bentley told the ABC. “We’ve actually seen an increase in people filleting their fish at the boat ramp and then disposing of their fish frames into the water.”
Mr Bentley said the crocodile had developed dangerous habits after becoming accustomed to getting an easy meal at the boat ramp.
The crocodile will now be driven across the Kimberley to a Broome wildlife park, where it will be kept in captivity.
“The crocodiles will always be there, but what we don’t want them to be is really confident around people and coming up to boats looking for a meal,” Mr Bentley told the ABC. “Parks and Wildlife urges people to always exercise caution around waterways in the Kimberley.”
When culling was allowed , they weren’t as friendly, maybe it’s time
one reason to ban the practice of making them jump for the tourists by feeding them.