Monster 14-foot crocodile stalked pets, evaded capture for weeks — until now. See it
A large crocodile was found stalking pets and “lingering” around a property in Australia. The dangerous animal took wildlife officials weeks to capture.
The property owners in Cordelia reported the roughly 14-foot-long crocodile to wildlife officials, the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation said in a March 26 news release.
Officials investigated and saw the crocodile “lingering around the private property and stalking domestic and farmed animals,” the department said. They identified it as a “dangerous animal.”
First, “we tried an in-river floating trap but due to the amount of rainfall and elevated river levels” the trap didn’t work, Tony Frisby, a senior wildlife officer with the department, said in the release.
Instead, “we had to install a gated trap, which is a trap that rests on the riverbank,” Frisby said.
After weeks of evading capture, the 14-foot-long crocodile finally fell for the trap, officials said.
Wildlife officials returned to the property and wrangled the reptile into a container. Photos show the process of hauling the netting-wrapped crocodile into a cage.
A second large crocodile, measuring about 10 feet in length, was also captured in the nearby Townsville area.
Australia’s saltwater crocodiles are “the largest reptile on the planet,” with males reaching over 23 feet in length and weighing over 2,200 pounds, according to Oceana.
Both crocodiles will be kept in captivity, either at crocodile farms or zoos, the department said.
Cordelia, Queensland, is about 1,400 miles northwest from Sydney and along the country’s northeastern coast.
This story was originally published April 4, 2024 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Monster 14-foot crocodile stalked pets, evaded capture for weeks — until now. See it."
