Illegal hunters could be responsible for a spate of croc decapitations in FNQ
A NORTH Queensland croc expert suggests a sinister motive is behind the spate of croc decapitations in recent months.
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A NORTH Queensland croc expert suggests a sinister motive is behind the spate of croc decapitations in recent months.
The discovery of a headless 2.7m animal in a dry creek bed near Karumba in the Gulf country is the third decapitated croc to be discovered in Far North Queensland since August.
Zoologist at Charles Darwin University Dr Adam Britton speculated the protected species is being illegally targeted by big-game trophy hunters.
Crocodiles are a protected species under Nature Conservation Act.
Dr Britton discounted the idea the killings were in retaliation to attacks and said hunters stocking the trophy cabinet was more plausible explanation.
“They will either take the tail and they will use that for the meat or they will take the head and use that for the skull,” he said.
Dr Britton said a large knife or chainsaw could be used to remove the head of the animal.
“With their head missing like that … it is someone who has been poaching the crocodiles and illegally killing them.
“They remove their head which they then take home and presumably then try and prepare the skull.”
The Department of Environment and Science suggested the animal could have been run over as there was no evidence of bullet holes in the carcass.
Dr Britton said it was “almost impossible” to sell a croc skull without proper Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) certification.
“If you want to trade in a species listed on CITIES you need to have a permit,” he said.
John Cash from Cash City Cairns pawnbrokers, said he had received a call from someone trying to sell croc parts.
“We asked, ‘can you verify where it came from’ and they said ‘no’ so we told them we don’t deal in them,” he said.
Dr Britton said the killing and decapitation of crocs does happen but described the practice as occurring at a “low level”.
“But it is a concern because they are breaking the law,” he said. “It is illegal to interfere with crocodile in the wild in Queensland and that obviously includes killing them.”
In August, a 2.5m croc was found missing its head near Mount Isa and a decapitated 4m croc at Herbert River has also been reported.
Originally published as Illegal hunters could be responsible for a spate of croc decapitations in FNQ
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