A ranger has spotted a two-metre crocodile at a popular camping spot on the Sunshine Coast

A ranger has photographed a two-metre crocodile at a popular camping spot hundreds of kilometres from where it should be.

A two-metre crocodile has been spotted on a beach near a popular camping spot on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, far from its usual habitat.

The Queensland Environment Department said a ranger spotted the crocodile near the Sarawak camping area at Inskip Point, near Rainbow Beach, about 100km north of Noosa.

The ranger photographed the animal’s tracks and markings.

“The animal is likely to be the same crocodile recently videoed on Coonarr Beach, near Bundaberg,” a Queensland Environment spokesman said.

Last month people strolling along a beach near Bundaberg filmed a crocodile 150km south of the animal’s usual habitat on the Queensland coast.

In January, a crocodile was spotted s at Coonarr Beach at the mouth of the Elliott River, near Bundaberg, about 150km south of where the reptiles are usually found in Queensland. Picture: Supplied/ Jasmine Van Den Bos

In January, a crocodile was captured trying to get back to sea against small, choppy white caps at Coonarr Beach near the Elliott River mouth outside Bundaberg. Picture: Supplied/ Jasmine Van Den Bos

The reptile was captured trying to get back to sea against small, choppy white caps at Coonarr Beach near the Elliott River mouth outside Bundaberg.

In November, a member of the public reported seeing a 3m crocodile in the Burnett River, barely five kilometres downstream from the Bundaberg city centre. A four-day, 14km search failed to find that animal.

The latest sighting takes the reptile about 380km south of “croc country,” which normally falls at Boyne River near Gladstone.

A Queensland Environment spokesman said wildlife officers were patrolling Inskip Point using drones to locate the animal and told people to be vigilant around water.

“Wildlife officers will be notifying people in camping areas near Inskip Point and install recent crocodile sight warning signs,” a spokesman said.

“Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app or by completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website.”

Originally published as A ranger has spotted a two-metre crocodile at a popular camping spot on the Sunshine Coast