Disturbing find in Aussie creek leaves locals 'horrified' as 'stupid' behaviour slammed
A disturbing discovery in the shallows of a Far North Queensland creek is the latest in a string of reckless acts at the home of a large resident crocodile. There are fears the croc, affectionately known as Clyde, could be removed if the "stupid" behaviour continues.
Over the weekend, a severed deer head was found right across from Clyde's usual sunbaking spot. Mostly hidden in the murky water, the deer's antlers and head can be seen on the creek bed.
Cairns teacher Bryony was taking her sons "nature spotting" in the area and stopped in to see if they could spot Clyde when they were alerted to the deer head by another couple.
"It looks like they're trying to either feed him or bait him. It's just really reckless. It was just horrifying," she told Yahoo News.
Feeding or baiting crocodiles is an offence, with penalties dramatically increased last year to an on-the-spot fine of $2,580, or a maximum court-imposed fine of $26,614. The act can lead to crocodiles becoming habituated to humans and associating people with food.
Bryony, 46, feels signage is needed at the creek to alert tourists of the dangers of approaching and feeding crocodiles. Yahoo News is choosing not to publish Clyde's exact location.
"If tourists wander on that beach, then something terrible is going to happen. And it'll be Clyde that's removed, and it could also be a fatality that we'll see," she said.
Clyde is what's known as an "icon crocodile", as he is larger than 4 metres, and holds particular cultural significance to the local First Nations people. They see him as a totem animal, but as Clyde's popularity increases, so do the risks.
Wildlife guide, photographer and founder of CROC — Community Representation of Crocodiles, Matt Cornish, had a blunt message for those who feed crocs or encroach on their territory for the sake of a selfie.
"Stop being stupid. Your behaviour is for a short-term personal gain, but results in long-term pain for the broader community and the Indigenous people of the area and the crocodile, and the ecosystem attached to it," he told Yahoo.
"Stupid decisions will result in obviously pain for a lot of different stakeholders in our community, and as we've seen in the past, feeding a crocodile can directly relate to a human fatality from a crocodile attack. We've seen it before, and this behaviour is continuing, and it's about time the government steps up and cracks down on it."
The previous incident Matt is referring to happened in August last year, when a man was killed by a crocodile in Cooktown after falling into the river. After his death, it was revealed the crocodile had been fed large amounts of fish on multiple locations at the same spot.
"This kind of behaviour not only will result in crocodiles being removed, but will result in another fatality in the near future," Matt said.
While the fines were increased to deter offenders, Matt believes it's useless unless the legislation is being policed.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation confirmed the incident had been reported to them.
"Not only is the alleged behaviour extremely dangerous, it could also result in a potential penalty of $26,614," a spokesperson said.
"Anyone with information about alleged crocodile offences can report it by calling 1300 130 372. Information can be provided anonymously."
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Disturbing find in Aussie creek leaves locals 'horrified' as 'stupid' behaviour slammed
A disturbing discovery in the shallows of a Far North Queensland creek is the latest in a string of reckless acts at the home of a large resident crocodile. There are fears the croc, affectionately known as Clyde, could be removed if the "stupid" behaviour continues. Over the weekend, a severed deer head was found right across from Clyde's usual sunbaking spot. Mostly hidden in the murky water, the deer's antlers and head can be seen on the creek bed. Cairns teacher Bryony was taking her sons "nature spotting" in the area and stopped in to see if they could spot Clyde when they were alerted to the deer head by another couple. "It looks like they're trying to either feed him or bait him. It's just really reckless. It was just horrifying," she told Yahoo News. Feeding or baiting crocodiles is an offence, with penalties dramatically increased last year to an on-the-spot fine of $2,580, or a maximum court-imposed fine of $26,614. The act can lead to crocodiles becoming habituated to humans and associating people with food. Bryony, 46, feels signage is needed at the creek to alert tourists of the dangers of approaching and feeding crocodiles. Yahoo News is choosing not to publish Clyde's exact location. "If tourists wander on that beach, then something terrible is going to happen. And it'll be Clyde that's removed, and it could also be a fatality that we'll see," she said. Clyde is what's known as an "icon crocodile", as he is larger than 4 metres, and holds particular cultural significance to the local First Nations people. They see him as a totem animal, but as Clyde's popularity increases, so do the risks. Wildlife guide, photographer and founder of CROC — Community Representation of Crocodiles, Matt Cornish, had a blunt message for those who feed crocs or encroach on their territory for the sake of a selfie. "Stop being stupid. Your behaviour is for a short-term personal gain, but results in long-term pain for the broader community and the Indigenous people of the area and the crocodile, and the ecosystem attached to it," he told Yahoo. "Stupid decisions will result in obviously pain for a lot of different stakeholders in our community, and as we've seen in the past, feeding a crocodile can directly relate to a human fatality from a crocodile attack. We've seen it before, and this behaviour is continuing, and it's about time the government steps up and cracks down on it." The previous incident Matt is referring to happened in August last year, when a man was killed by a crocodile in Cooktown after falling into the river. After his death, it was revealed the crocodile had been fed large amounts of fish on multiple locations at the same spot. "This kind of behaviour not only will result in crocodiles being removed, but will result in another fatality in the near future," Matt said. While the fines were increased to deter offenders, Matt believes it's useless unless the legislation is being policed. A spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation confirmed the incident had been reported to them. "Not only is the alleged behaviour extremely dangerous, it could also result in a potential penalty of $26,614," a spokesperson said. "Anyone with information about alleged crocodile offences can report it by calling 1300 130 372. Information can be provided anonymously." Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
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