The world’s largest crocodile died in captivity at the age of 110.
Cassius, who weighed more than a ton and was 18 feet long, had been in worsening health since October, his caretakers said.
The beast held the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest saltwater crocodile in captivity.
It earned the title after the 2013 death of the Philippine crocodile Lolong, which measured 6.17 m (20 ft 3 in) long, according to Guinness.
Before his death, Cassius, in captivity, was known to prowl Australia’s waterways before being taken to Marineland Marineland Melanesia’s crocodile habitat on Green Island, off the coast of Cairns, Queensland.
The world’s largest captive crocodile, Cassius (pictured) at Marineland Melanesia on Green Island, Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Australia
George Craig of Green Island Marineland Melanesia (pictured) feeds Cassius, who died at the age of 110
At the time of his capture, Cassius was estimated to be between 30 and 80 years old.
In a post on Facebook, his keepers said: “He was very old and believed to have lived beyond the years of a wild crocodile.”
“Cassius will be deeply missed, but our love and memories of him will remain in our hearts forever.”
The group’s website said it had lived at the sanctuary since 1987 after being transported from the neighboring Northern Territory.
Crocodiles are a key part of the region’s tourism industry and Cassius became the star attraction.
Cassius, a crocodile known for causing trouble, was captured in 1984 near a cattle station on the Finniss River, southwest of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory.
At the time of his capture, Cassius was estimated to be between 30 and 80 years old and set the record as the largest crocodile ever captured alive in Australia.
“He had big eyes that you could look into his soul,” one of his former caretakers, Toody Scott, told AAP.
“He always had that spark, which is very different from working with other crocodiles.”
Cassius was captured in 1984 near a cattle station on the Finniss River, southwest of Darwin.
Before his death, Cassius, captive, was known to prowl the waterways of Australia before being brought to Marineland Marineland Melanesia Crocodile Habitat
Three years after his capture, crocodile hunter George Craig, who had founded Marineland Melanesia in 1969, moved him to Green Island.
Mr Scott said the crocodile had an especially close bond with his keeper Craig and the pair would sit in silence for “hours at a time”.
Scott said: “Over the last few years, George has been traveling on a mobility scooter and every time he approached the venue, Cassius would approach him.”
