usmc4669
04-22-04, 09:54 AM
Five-metre croc shadowing swimmers
By Edith Bevan
April 22, 2004
RANGERS were yesterday hunting a second large crocodile in Territory waters used by swimmers and canoeists.
Parks and Wildlife Commission ranger Patrick Carmody yesterday estimated the saltie to be more than 5m.
The crocodile was spotted from the air during aerial surveys of the Daly, Flora and Katherine river systems on Tuesday.
"We need to catch it because it's in a nature park that people use for recreation," Mr Carmody said.
"There's not supposed to be any swimming but people do still swim, and there's floating and canoeing.
"There is a danger there."
Rangers will try trapping the saltie rather than harpooning it.
If they are successful, the crocodile will be taken to the Coolibah Croc Farm near Timber Creek.
Rangers pulled a 4.5m crocodile out of the Katherine River, less than 8km from the town, on Tuesday.
Mr Carmody said rangers had noticed there was a greater number of large crocodiles in the rivers recently.
"They're back now - the crocodile population is getting healthy now," he said.
"They're being forced into these areas by bigger animals."
Mr Carmody said the good wet season this year meant many of the Top End's rivers had been up for the past five months, allowing the crocs to move about more freely.
Now why not send them to Iraq and put them in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers? :banana:
By Edith Bevan
April 22, 2004
RANGERS were yesterday hunting a second large crocodile in Territory waters used by swimmers and canoeists.
Parks and Wildlife Commission ranger Patrick Carmody yesterday estimated the saltie to be more than 5m.
The crocodile was spotted from the air during aerial surveys of the Daly, Flora and Katherine river systems on Tuesday.
"We need to catch it because it's in a nature park that people use for recreation," Mr Carmody said.
"There's not supposed to be any swimming but people do still swim, and there's floating and canoeing.
"There is a danger there."
Rangers will try trapping the saltie rather than harpooning it.
If they are successful, the crocodile will be taken to the Coolibah Croc Farm near Timber Creek.
Rangers pulled a 4.5m crocodile out of the Katherine River, less than 8km from the town, on Tuesday.
Mr Carmody said rangers had noticed there was a greater number of large crocodiles in the rivers recently.
"They're back now - the crocodile population is getting healthy now," he said.
"They're being forced into these areas by bigger animals."
Mr Carmody said the good wet season this year meant many of the Top End's rivers had been up for the past five months, allowing the crocs to move about more freely.
Now why not send them to Iraq and put them in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers? :banana: