Crocodiles are North Queensland's most revered ambassadors as millions are intrigued by the prehistoric cousins of the dinosaurs.

Unfortunately today's news is not good with a juvenile crocodile being found dead in a crab pot just behind Magazine Island in the Dickson Inlet at Port Douglas.

Local adventurer Nick 'Malachi' after returning from his most recent three (3) month voyage up to Cape Melville and the Stanley Islands came across the 1.1m juvenile last Monday whilst fishing. "I'd just returned from finding the unexploded bomb on Cape Melville and found this poor guy" said Nick.

The above footage shows the crocodile deceased inside the crab pot. "It appears it has drowned and then floated the entire crab pot to the surface" said Nick and although this is a rare occurrence it one that "is likely to occur more if pots are not checked daily or are damaged and can be accessed by the juveniles."

"Crocodiles are attracted to the pots once crabs are caught. Mud crabs are one of the crocodile's main meals in the inlet" says Nick.