Croc held in lock-up
A MASSIVE saltwater crocodile has been released from police custody without charge after spending Easter under lock and key.
Captured at Injinoo, 920km north of Cairns, on March 21, the 3.6m reptile was detained under the Bamaga Police Station while arrangements were made to transport him south for tagging after the holiday weekend.
The croc was one of three, including a 4.5m monster, sighted loitering in Cowal Creek near Injinoo school, Bamaga police acting officer-in-charge Sgt Glenn Smith told The Cairns Post.
"There’s been reports the larger one’s been popping his head up when the school bell rings," Sgt Smith said. "The school’s naturally concerned."
The 4.5m reptile remains at large but Parks and Wildlife officers snared the 3.6m animal in a creek-bank trap using a pig meat lure.
About 100 people gathered to see the caged croc.
"When they were having a look at the back of the truck, the croc reared up in the cage and it scared the hell out of everyone," he said. "It created excitement in the crowd."
Wildlife officers drove the croc to nearby Bamaga Police Station.
Officers had initially considered housing their unusual guest in the watch house, Sgt Smith joked.
But he said: "We figured out we’d paint ourselves into a corner and we wouldn’t be able to get past it. There’s one door in and one door out."
Instead, the animal was secured in a cage under the station behind several sets of locked doors and gates and treated to regular hose-downs to keep him cool.
"It was in a great spot, we opened up the roller doors to let light and air in during the day and locked it up during the night," Sgt Smith said.
The croc was "obviously well fed and robust, solid and in good condition", he added.
The crocodile was taken to Cairns by barge and then to Environmental Protection Agency holding pens at Cardwell.
"It is a young male and will be studied, radio-tagged and released to a remote location," an EPA spokeswoman said.
If the 4.5m saltie was caught, it would be sold to a farm or zoo in accordance with the Queensland Government’s Crocodile Conservation Plan and Management Program.
But Liberal Senator Ian Macdonald has again called for the introduction of a crocodile culling program in North Queensland.
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Jailhouse croc:This 3.6m saltie was a guest of Bamaga police for five days before being released. Pic: Glenn Smith
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