Another Four Mile Beach crocodile to be removed

PORT DOUGLAS

Last updated: 28/08/2017, 08:10:00 (AEST)

Wildlife officers can be seen with a floating crocodile trap heading out to Dicksons Inlet in Port Douglas. IMAGE: Supplied.

A WILDLIFE operation to remove a crocodile, believed to be as large as four metres, has commenced in Port Douglas.

The crocodile was spotted by surf lifesavers on Thursday morning (7am) swimming off Four Mile Beach.

“They described watching the crocodile for more than an hour until it moved northwards around the headland toward Dicksons Inlet,” a spokesperson from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection told Newsport.

“The animal was also reported to EHP by a member of the public.”

A recent crocodile sighting warning sign was still placed on Four Mile Beach on Sunday night.

The Four Mile Beach area in Port Douglas is now a targeted beach management zone under the new statewide Crocodile Management Plan, meaning any crocodile larger than two metres or any smaller animal displaying dangerous behaviour can be removed.

The warning sign on Four Mile Beach. IMAGE: Supplied.

“Crocodiles are highly mobile and will use the ocean to travel between estuaries and inland waterways, so it is likely that crocodiles observed at Four Mile Beach are making their way in or out of Dicksons Inlet,” the EHP said.

“It is also impractical to attempt to remove crocodiles from the open ocean, which is why the removal operation will focus on Dicksons Inlet.”

Wildlife officers could be seen deploying the crocodile trap on Friday 25 August. They also removed a 2.6 metre crocodile from Dicksons Inlet on August 1 after it been reported passing Four Mile Beach in July.