Crocodile spotted and captured in Far North dam

A 4.2m croc was snapped up by wildlife officers after it was spotted in a Far North dam on a private property. How it evaded capture for weeks.

A 4.2 metre long croc was snapped up by wildlife officers after it was spotted in a Far North dam on a private property.

The estuarine crocodile was spotted at Biboohra near Mareeba last Monday and was captured with a baited trap by wildlife officers.

A 4.2 metre long croc found at Biboohra near Mareeba on Monday, November 14. Picture: Supplied

Steve Coulson, senior wildlife officer, said the croc was found at a large dam in a private property and took officers around three to four weeks to finally capture it.

He said the croc avoided the bait and attention well enough for the officers to use a spotlight to confirm that it was still in the water.

“It was proving challenging given the nature of the dam, it was quite large,” he said.

“Those large animals tend to be quite wary in those situations.

“We managed to capture the croc via harpoon, which is almost like a little dart, that went under the skin to hold on long enough for them to get in contact with the croc and secure it safely.

“We were really relieved (once it was captured)”.

The 4.2 metre long croc avoided capture for almost a month. Picture: Supplied

The croc is being held at a Cairns facility and due to its size, it will be transferred to a farm or zoo to be used for educational and conservation purposes in consultation with relevant traditional owners.

In light of the sighting, the Department of Environment and Science warns residents to be “crocwise” and to expect crocodiles in all Far North waterways even in areas without warning signs.

Other safety tips include reporting sightings through the QWildlife app, supervising children and obeying warning signs.

Originally published as Crocodile spotted and captured in Far North dam