Rangers haul in monster 4.72-metre saltwater crocodile

Wildlife rangers have hauled in an enormous saltwater crocodile after spotting locals ignoring warning signs and swimming in the same creek. 

Rangers captured the 4.72m crocodile in Borroloola, a small town in remote Northern Territory, on Tuesday, ABC News reported. 

The crocodile is the largest trapped in Australia so far this year, narrowly beating the capture of a 600-kilogram, 4.71-metre crocodile caught near Katherine in July.

That crocodile had evaded rangers for over a decade.  

After the crocodile was subdued rangers took it to a local school to give students a first hand look at what lurks in their waterways. 

Senior District Ranger for the Gulf Region Andrew Peckham was one of the rangers who helped trap the predator. 

Mr Peckham said the crocodile’s poor condition meant it had to be euthanised rather than relocated. 

Mr Peckham told ABC News the crocodile measured 4.72m and said tourists were swimming just 50 metres away.

‘Despite all the signs and all the Crocwise campaigns we have throughout communities, people still don’t seem to heed warning signs,’ he said.

‘What happened with this one, when it was removed it was taken up to the school to reinforce that these animals, they are real, you know.’

‘You’re living in crocodile country.’ 

The largest saltwater crocodile ever caught in Australia was found in the Mary River and measured a staggering 6.4metres. 

Senior District Ranger for the Gulf Region Andrew Peckham was one of the rangers who helped to trap the beast and said because of the state of the animal it was euthanized