In the latest tragic incident from Queensland, Australia, police reported finding human remains inside a large crocodile suspected of killing a fisherman. This marks the second fatal crocodile attack in about a month and has deepened concerns about safety in the region.
The victim, a 40-year-old man, fell from a steep bank into the Annan River south of Cooktown on Saturday and never resurfaced, according to authorities. The man, a tourist from New South Wales, was on vacation with his family, fishing at a spot infamously known as Crocodile Bend. The location is frequented by tourists who come to observe the large crocodiles that inhabit the area.
On Monday, wildlife rangers managed to capture and euthanize a 4.9-meter (16-foot) crocodile in a creek located approximately 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from where the disheartening incident occurred. Officials noted that the crocodile had distinctive scars on its snout, similar to those described by witnesses who had seen a reptile in the vicinity of the man’s disappearance.
Upon examination in Cooktown, human remains were found inside the crocodile, with a police statement indicating they were believed to belong to the missing man. Further testing is still needed to confirm the identity of the remains positively.
Police Acting Chief Superintendent Shane Holmes shared that the exact circumstances of the man’s fall into the water were unclear. “I believe it was an accident when he fell into the water,” Holmes stated, adding that it was not known whether the victim’s family or bystanders witnessed the tragic event.
This fatality occurs shortly after another harrowing incident on July 2, when a 12-year-old girl was taken by a crocodile while swimming with her family in a creek in the Northern Territory. Her remains were discovered days later, and a 4.2-meter (14-foot) crocodile was subsequently killed by wildlife rangers.
Australia has experienced three fatal crocodile attacks this year, nearing the worst annual record of four deaths set in 2014. Among the victims was a 16-year-old boy, who lost his life while swimming off a Queensland island on April 18.
Crocodile populations have seen a significant increase across Australia’s tropical north since the early 1970s, when hunting them for their skins was banned. Before then, intense hunting efforts dating back to the 1950s had nearly driven them to extinction.
