Giant 600 kg croc caught in Australia
July 10, 2018
An enormous crocodile that had long eluded authorities in Australia's northern outback has finally been captured, officials said Tuesday.
Rangers found the 5-meter (16.4-foot) giant in a trap downstream from the Northern Territory town of Katherine — almost 10 years after it was first spotted in the region.
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Weighing up to 600 kilograms (1,322 pounds), it's the biggest saltwater croc ever to be removed from the remote Katherine River area.
"We've called it a lot of things over the years because it's been so hard to catch," senior wildlife officer John Burke told public broadcaster ABC.
"It is a bit of a thrill, but you've also got to admire the size of the animal and how old it is. You've got to have a bit of respect for it."
The animal, which is estimated to be up to 60 years old, was sedated and taken to a nearby crocodile farm, where it will live out the rest of its days away from the local human population.
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There are more than 150,000 crocodiles in Australia, where they are a protected species. In an effort to prevent potential croc attacks , rangers routinely trap the animals and move them away from areas populated by humans.
Last year rangers relocated 371 crocodiles from the Northern Territory cities of Darwin, Katherine and Palmerston, according to government figures.
nm/jm (AFP, AP, Reuters)
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