Mulgrave River crocodile trapped and removed from Ross and Locke

The crocodile thought to be sighted near where schoolchildren used a tinnie to cross a Far North Queensland river has finally been captured. See the pictures.

The crocodile thought to be sighted near where schoolchildren used a tinnie to cross a Far North Queensland river has finally been captured.

The 2.3m crocodile was pulled from the Mulgrave River on Sunday, downstream at Ross and Locke, following six unsuccessful attempts to spot it at Fisheries Bridge.

Rangers set a crocodile trap near the Ross and Locke swimming hole on the Mulgrave River. Picture: Department of Environment, Science and Innovation

Wildlife officers from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service confirmed the presence of the crocodile during a spotlight assessment of the river on January 29 2024.

Director Northern Wildlife Lindsay Delzoppo said the baited trap was deployed near the Ross and Locke recreational area on January 30.

“That section of the Mulgrave River that is mapped as Zone C under the Queensland Crocodile Management Plan,” Mr Delzoppo said.

“In Zone C, any crocodile of two metres in length or larger is targeted for removal from the wild.

The 2.3m crocodile captured in a trap at Ross and Locke. Picture: Department of Environment, Science and Innovation

“Although the targeted crocodile has been removed from the wild, it is still extremely important that people in the greater Cairns region and beyond continue to Be Crocwise.

“The Mulgrave River is typical habitat for crocodiles, and they will continue to be present in the river.”

For the past six months Goldsborough residents and traditional custodians have called for the animal’s removal after the croc moved up into popular swimming areas of the Mulgrave River that had previously been considered croc free.

When Fisheries Bridge, that crosses the upper reaches of the Mulgrave River at Goldsborough was washed away by a torrent of floodwater on December 18, schoolchildren were forced to cross the river in small boats.

Since the start of the school term a campaign to remove the croc increased in its urgency.

Rangers were deployed to Fisheries Bridge to find the croc on six different occasions, which included night-time spotting sorties after a report of the crocodile was received on January 9.

However no recent evidence of the animal was found, so a baited trap was set 10km down steam at Ross and Locke.

The 2.3m crocodile captured in a trap at Ross and Locke. Picture: Department of Environment, Science and Innovation

Residents have been urged to not come complacent at the animal’s capture and it’s likely a new croc could move into the area vacated by the 2.3m captured at the weekend.

“People in Croc Country are urged to report all crocodile sightings in a timely manner, and wildlife officers investigate every sighting report,” Mr Delzoppo said.

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Originally published as Mulgrave River crocodile trapped and removed from Ross and Locke