A huge crocodile believed to have killed a tourist in front of his wife and children has been shot dead by rangers.
The New South Wales family were on a caravan trip through Far North Queensland and were fishing near the Annan River Bridge, south of Cooktown, shortly after 2pm on Saturday when the man, in his 40s, went missing.
The reptile reportedly dragged him underwater. Local police said the man’s wife and children were traumatised after witnessing the horrific attack.
Now the 4.9-metre crocodile believed to be responsible for the attack has been shot dead by Queensland rangers..
Authorities confirmed the saltwater crocodile was found about 4 kilometres upriver from where the man was taken, known to locals as Crocodile Bend, and euthanised at about 2 p.m. on Monday. The Cairns Mail reported.
The reptile will now be handed over to police and its stomach contents will be examined.
A team including police, rangers and SES had resumed their They are looking for the man at 7 am on Monday.
“We’ve been patrolling the riverbank. There’s quite a large area, about 5km of waterway, that’s subject to tides,” Cooktown police Senior Sergeant Greg Finucane said on Sunday.
A man was attacked by a crocodile in front of his wife and children near Cooktown on Saturday afternoon. A crocodile trap with bait is placed in the water on Sunday
Locals warned tourists not to fish near the bridge (pictured) as deep river banks in the area would make it difficult to escape an attack.
‘It is affected by the current, also by the weather and the common natural movement and habitat of crocodiles must be taken into account.
Police have not confirmed what part of New South Wales the family is from or the ages of the victim’s children.
The fishing spot, where the man is believed to have been dragged by the crocodile, is a known habitat for the reptiles.
A Cooktown resident said the crocodile had associated people with food as some locals were feeding it roadkill from upriver.
“People throw roadkill in there for it to eat and it could have been sitting there 15 feet under water waiting to be fed,” said one Cooktown resident. Cairns Mail.
‘There’s been a bit of rain so the bench would have been soft and even if he hadn’t been near the edge it could have collapsed underneath him.
“It’s just horrible and everyone is feeling sorry for the family; to see that happen in front of you is unthinkable.”
Police declined to comment on speculation that members of the public had been feeding the crocodiles in the vicinity.
“While the circumstances of this matter are yet to be confirmed, we remind everyone that Cooktown is known as ‘Croc Country’ and urge everyone to be safe by practising ‘CrocWise’ behaviour,” a Queensland environment department spokesperson said.
Crocodile Bend is known to be a hotspot for crocodile activity.
Local resident Bart Harrison urged tourists to find a safer place to fish, warning that its steep banks would make it difficult to escape an attack.
“You could go there at almost any low tide and see a big crocodile lying on the shore in front of you,” Harrison said.
‘A lot of people take pictures and things of them sitting there.’
The 4.9-metre crocodile believed to be responsible for the attack was shot dead by Queensland game rangers.