Croc spotted in stinger nets at Trinity Beach
A Cairns lifeguard has urged pet owners to keep dogs leashed following a suspected dog-attack which killed a wallaby, its body luring a crocodile to a popular beach.
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A popular beach has been closed to swimmers after a crocodile was spotted inside the stinger nets, seemingly drawn in by a dead wallaby.
Witnesses said the reptile was discovered by a fisherman in Trinity Beach around 6am.
Authorities deflated the stinger nets to allow the crocodile to swim on and brought the swimming net in about 9am.
The Cairns Post understands the beach could reopen within two hours.
It is believed a dead wallaby was responsible from drawing the crocodile into the beach.
General lifeguard Arjan Wynberg said residents had reported the animal, believed to have been chased by dogs on Friday afternoon, which likely lured the reptile onto the beach.
“A supervisor was called in to have a look at a croc on the beach. It looks like he caught himself in the net. We reckon he was brought up by the wallaby on the beach. Apparently a couple dogs killed the roo yesterday,” Mr Wynberg said.
While Trinity Beach has a dog-off leash area on the northern end, it is not a fully off-leash zone.
“Dogs need to be on leash here. As lifeguards, we spend most of our time telling people to keep their dogs on a lead,” he said.
“Most people say their dogs are well behaved, but (as a lifeguard) you can never guarantee that because you don’t know their dogs yourself.”
Mr Wynberg said the wallaby likely died of stress at being chased.
“Kangaroos and wallabys can die of stress and likely that one has. When something stresses them out, they die so quickly because they freak out,” he said.
“Having dogs off-leash anywhere in the northern region, near wildlife, there is a risk and there’s a fine for people who breach it. Unfortunately it’s money that defers people when it should be concern that their dog could kill a kangaroo (wallaby).”
According to Cairns Regional Council, pet owners can be issued an on the-spot fine of $309 for not keeping their dogs on a leash unless in dog off-leash areas.
Mr Wynberg said the crocodile had been extricated from the net and had likely moved south.
“It’s unusual behaviour for it to be out in the open like this for a long period of time. Because of its size, it is probably struggling to find an estuary to settle into. We were taught that for a croc in the ocean, it’’s usually its last resort,” he said.
“So if it’s been kicked out by bigger crocs for territory, it’s usually travelling the ocean to find somewhere to settle. He probably hasn’t found anywhere to settle because there’s a bigger croc and every estuary visited.”
Sydney tourist David Chetcuti, who was visiting family in Trinity Beach, said he believed the crocodile was not responsible for the wallaby’s death.
“(The wallaby) was just on its own, it hadn’t been touched. It didn’t look like it had any injuries,” Mr Chetcuti said.
Despite the croc sighting, Mr Chetcuti said he was not concerned to continue swimming at the beach once it reopened.
“We usually swim outside the nets, we never swim inside here. We know they’re there but to actually see it, I don’t know. I might go for a swim once we get the all clear,” he said.
The sighting caused a stir along Trinity Beach’s esplanade on Saturday morning, with people gathering at the nets to try catch a glimpse of the reptile.
Originally published as Croc spotted in stinger nets at Trinity Beach
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