IT'S a croc-eat-croc world in the wilds of Cape York.

This 3.5m saltie was snapped by visiting fisherman Wayne Pierce as it was tucking into another croc in the Mission River at Weipa, 800km north of Cairns.

Check out our crocodile photo gallery.

Croc cannibalism among adult crocodiles was rare, Weipa zoologist Lauren Collings told The Cairns Post.

"Crocs are cannibals," Ms Collings said.

"Except the case you usually see is adults eating juvenile crocs."

The big croc was likely to have sniffed the carcass and came looking for a feed, she said.

"They have a great sense of smell.

"If they smell old meat, they'll go to it.

"I reckon the first one would've got injured in a crocodile fight, or the most likely reason is it got shot by people."

While the photos are unusual, Weipa locals are used to living side by side with the giant predators - even naming their favourites.

Working as a surveyor aboard Weipa's ship loader in the Embley River, Ms Collings recalled sighting a massive croc basking on a nearby sandbar.

"I said 'Hey, there's a croc - aren't you excited?'

"They said 'No. He's there all the time. His name's Craig'."

Ms Collings scored naming rights on a second crocodile sharing Craig's sandbar.

"I called him Gazza," she said.

"I had that job two years ago and they're still there."

Ms Collings denied rumours the two were more than friends.

"They're just sharing a convenient piece of land," she said.

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