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Rare Croc Found Far From Home in Australian City
2 Mar
Summary
- Freshwater crocodile found in Newcastle, far south of its natural habitat.
- Crocodile captured after multiple attempts by handlers from Australian Reptile Park.
- Animal believed to be a subadult female, possibly an escaped pet.
A freshwater crocodile, an unusual sight thousands of kilometres south of its natural habitat, was discovered in Ironbark Creek in Newcastle, New South Wales. The reptile was first spotted by teenagers on Saturday afternoon, leading to initial disbelief from locals and wildlife rescue groups. The crocodile's presence so far from its native northern Australian range raised concerns about its welfare.
After multiple capture attempts, a team from the Australian Reptile Park, led by Billy Collett, successfully secured the subadult female crocodile on Sunday evening. The animal, measuring slightly less than a metre long, is thought to be around 10 years old and possibly an escaped pet, as it would not have survived Newcastle's colder climate.
The crocodile was transported to the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast for veterinary health assessments. Authorities remain unsure how the animal arrived in the creek, and confirmed it was the only crocodile sighted in the area.
