Croc takes dog from sands of Napranum Beach

A social media user has been slammed for not warning dogs about a huge croc, after video emerged last week of the reptile snatching an unsuspecting pup from a Cape York beach.

A social media user has been slammed for not warning dogs about a huge croc, after video emerged last week of the reptile snatching a dog from a Cape York beach.

Shot at Napranum Beach to the north of Jessica Point on Friday, the video shows two dogs enjoying the calm waters of the Embley River totally unaware of a large saltwater crocodile on the hunt.

A small dog about to be snatched by a huge croc near Weipa. Picture: Supplied

In a flash the croc, estimated to be about 5m long, springs from the water and lunges at the two dogs.

The large canine is quicker to react and bounds up the beach but the smaller dog was not so lucky.

The croc grabs the dog, drags it back into the water before both animals disappear beneath the surface.

The dog’s owner Johnnina Savo posted a screen recording of the video to a Weipa Facebook group calling out the person who shot the video.

She alleges the witness to the incident contributed to the preventable death of her dog.

“Whoever was recording this video should’ve called up them puppies when you seen the croc coming instead of sitting there and f**king recording,” she wrote.

“Bear was only a pup (and) didn’t know better or know about the dangers of being around that animal.

Napranum Beach, near Weipa at Cape York near where the dog was taken on Friday.

“The pup that got taken by the croc was ours … stay safe around the water’s edge.”

Adviser to environmentalist Bob Irwin, Amanda French, said it was disappointing that a social media presence was considered more important than the life of a dog.

“It goes back to someone that wanted the clicks and likes and filmed the incident rather than putting the animal’s welfare first,” she said.

“Now, is that croc going to be labelled a problem croc and will it be removed from the area?”

Ms French and Mr Irwin have led a campaign to create a new set of offences under the Nature Conservation Act.

Conservationist Bob Irwin. Photo: Amanda French.

Under proposed changes the environmental regulator would be empowered to take action against social media users interfering with crocodiles and entering croc habitat.

“It’s an offence under the Nature Conservation Act but there’s a lack of enforcement,” she said.

The Environmental Defenders Office has also taken up the cause and will join Mr Irwin and Bloomfield traditional owners to urge Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon to support the Reckless Use of Crocodile Habitat amendment bill.

A video still of Alister MacPhee and his dog being attacked by a crocodile near the Bloomfield boat ramp in Far North Queensland in February.

The call for law reform has been in response to a spate of dangerous croc interactions, including the entering of the Bloomfield River by Alister MacPhee in February.

A large croc was shot by rangers after attacking Mr MacPhee and taking his pet dog, Molly.

The latest dog attack near Weipa was reported to the Department of Environment and Science who stated the report was under investigation.

Last week’s incident follows two reports of estuarine crocodiles, 6km away, at Nanum in March.

DES has been contacted in regard to whether the Napranum Beach croc will be targeted for removal or shot.

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Originally published as Croc takes dog from sands of Napranum Beach