A MONSTER saltwater croc lurking in a Cape York creek has been captured after playing cat and mouse with Parks and Wildlife officers for more than a fortnight.
The 4.5m beast, estimated to weigh up to 500kg, was found when wildlife officers checked a semi-submerged trap on the banks of Cowal Creek at Injinoo yesterday morning.
Vie our croc picture gallery.
Parks and Wildlife officers in the area, 925km north of Cairns, had been attempting to lure the croc into traps baited with pig meat since Easter.
It had been spotted swimming near the township’s school where up to 50 students play every day.
The traps, just 10m from the fenced-off school grounds, previously snared two hefty crocs – one 3.6m and one 2m – but the big fella had eluded capture until yesterday.
Bamaga Police acting officer-in-charge Sgt Glenn Smith, who cared for the 3.6m saltie beneath the town’s police station while it waited for barge transport to Cairns, said the 4.5m beast’s distinctive yellowish hide identified it as the animal seen near Injinoo State School.
"It was the one we were after, we could tell from the colouring," Sgt Smith told The Cairns Post.
"There weren’t too many around that matched that description.
"I’ve taken a few photos from the shore and it definitely seems to be the same croc."
Sgt Smith estimated the croc to be about the length of a medium to family sized car.
"It’s a big fella," he said. "It’s a good-looking crocodile."
The croc was one of the biggest caught by wildlife officers, Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Andrew McNamara said.
It will be transported to Cairns by barge later this week and sold to a farm or zoo. The 3.6m croc has been radio tagged and released into the wild, while their 2m friend was released in a remote location.
