IF THERE was any question mark over what lurks beneath the surface of Top End rivers, the capture of a 3.5-metre saltwater crocodile in the Katherine River last week should clear things up.
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Parks and Wildlife Commission NT ranger Chris Heydon told the Katherine Times that the reptile was smaller than others he had seen, but was certainly capable of “taking a person”.
“Certainly any [crocodiles] over two metres are capable of taking a person,” Mr Heydon said.
Along with colleague Joey Buckerfield, Mr Heydon retrieved the crocodile from the trap set at Novus Quarry on April 22.
The “saltie” was the first trapped for 2015 in the four Katherine River management zones.
A total of 15 saltwater crocodiles were trapped in the same area in 2014.
Mr Heydon said it put up a fight as the rangers tried to remove it from the trap.
“It was a bit of fun and games getting him out of the trap and onto the [transport] board,” Mr Heydon joked.
The crocodile was sedated and transported to Coolibah Crocodile Farm, 230 kilometres from Katherine.
