Wildlife officers remove icon crocodile from Upper Mowbray River

Wildlife officers have captured and removed a 4.3m “icon” crocodile from a Far North river after it was declared a problem animal.

TRADITIONAL owners will be consulted on the future of a 4.3m “icon” crocodile which was captured and removed from the Upper Mowbray River after it was suspected of taking several weaner calves.

Wildlife officers from the Department of Environment and Science assessed the area following a report to QWildlife and observed the crocodile displaying “assertive behaviour”.

The animal was also unconcerned at the presence of wildlife officers.

A spokesman said given the location was near an informal swimming hole and a fishing area used by local children, a decision was made to declare the animal a problem crocodile and target it for removal from the wild.

The crocodile was captured in a baited trap on Sunday morning and taken to a holding facility in Cairns.

The spokesman said that due to its large size, the reptile is considered an “icon crocodile” under Queensland’ conservation laws.

“This means the decision on where the crocodile will be placed and housed must be made in consultation with the relevant traditional owners,” he said.

Queensland’s conservation laws also specify that the animal may only be placed with a registered crocodile farm or zoo which agrees to use it for purposes directed at promoting estuarine crocodile conservation.

The spokesman said the crocodile was not believed to be the well-known reptile Mo who can often be spotted from the Mowbray Bridge.

A recent survey found the Mowbray River has about 1.2 crocs per kilometre.

Originally published as Wildlife officers remove icon crocodile from Upper Mowbray River