THE killer croc could still be lurking in Cooktown's Endeavour River.
A 4.3m crocodile was brought into Cairns yesterday but authorities do not believe it contains the remains of 62-year-old tourist Arthur Booker, suspected to have been snatched from the river bank last Tuesday.
Environmental Protection Agency rangers caught the large croc with a floating trap on Saturday night and a veterinarian performed an internal examination using an endoscope.
Yesterday, EPA Wildlife Management manager Mike Devery said there were no indications that the croc attacked Mr Booker, but an X-ray would be carried out in coming days.
A 2.3m croc trapped at Cooktown yesterday morning will also be
examined for evidence, but it will not be moved to Cairns.
Mr Devery said he would not speculate on whether more than one croc could have been involved in Mr Booker’s disappearance.
Because of its size and its territorial behaviour, the 4.3m croc has been deemed a "problem crocodile" and will not be returned to the Endeavour River.
"When the examination is completed, the crocodile will be re-located to a captive facility which is yet to be determined by the EPA," Mr Devery said.
"A crocodile of more than 4m in length is classified as an iconic crocodile, which means that it must be kept in a way that benefits crocodile
conservation."
Three baited crocodile traps remain on the banks of the Endeavour River and will be checked regularly by EPA rangers.
Cairns police Inspector Ian Swan yesterday said officers were establishing an exclusion zone around the area Mr Booker disappeared to "keep the noise and drama out of it" and
encourage crocodiles to return and get into the traps.
Insp Swan said Mr Booker’s family had left Cooktown but the investigation into his disappearance would continue.
The Vietnam veteran is believed to have fallen victim to a crocodile while checking crab pots near his camp site on Tuesday morning.
A survey of the river last Thursday night revealed a cluster of crocs.
The EPA has played down suggestions Charlie, a 6m croc known to live in the area where Mr Booker
vanished, was to blame.
