Grey nomads heading into the Outback hoping to get a glimpse of the famed ‘Birdsville croc’ had better be quick. The decision has been made to re-locate the freshwater reptile ahead of September’s Birdsville Races.
Ever since the croc was spotted in the Diamantina River back in May it has drawn crowds of curious sightseers, eager spot the unlikely celebrity. How the croc ended up in the Outback river remains a mystery. The normal crocodile habitat is 1,000 kilometres north. Its presence has sparked great debate about what should be done with it.
However, it seems the creature will soon be on the move. The mayor of Diamantina Shire in Queensland’s far south-west, Geoff Morton, says residents are worried the crocodile may disrupt horses kept in a paddock near the river during the races.
He told the ABC that the Department of Environment had agreed to the croc’s removal.
“I think that they had already decided that it needed to go,” he said. “They agreed that it wasn’t the location for a crocodile, that he was definitely out of his natural environment, and both for the animal’s welfare and for the peace of mind for the town, they agreed that it had to go.”
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