The search continues for a saltwater crocodile that is believed to have taken a 12-year-old boy in the Northern Territory.
The boy, from a small Aboriginal settlement, was swimming with friends in the Mudginberri Billabong in Kakadu National Park when the group was attacked. Another boy suffered bite wounds as he tried to fight the creature off.
After analysing the wounds, experts estimate the crocodile to be between 2.5 metres and three metres long.
Searchers have been issued shoot-to-kill orders for any crocodile longer than three metres sighted in the area, about 200 kilometres east of Darwin.
National parks officials said the Magela Creek area is well signposted as a crocodile danger zone.
Crocodile numbers across the north have increased steadily since the introduction of protection laws in 1971.
The most recent fatality was in August last year, when a man was taken by a 4.7-metre croc as he swam across the Mary River.
Comment below
How can you save people who do not take note of the signs. Having been in the area it is very clear to take note of the signs. Maybe no crocs today. Maybe two or three tomorrow.
It’s been happening for 100 s of years. Until u get thru to everyone that it’s the crocs territory, u can’t go there, it’s always going to happen
I was in Kunnanurra a few years back and observed a family downstream of the diversion dam in the boat ramp. The children were swimming in the water and the women were cleaning fish. I asked them are they not concerned about the sign regarding the crocodile and the response was ” This is a swimming hole” I was unaware that crocodiles could read!!!