Qld: Croc captured near popular recreation site

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2005
Qld: Croc captured near popular recreation site

BRISBANE, Dec 16 AAP - A three metre crocodile which has haunted a popular Rockhampton
recreational site for more than a year has been removed.

He will soon be fathering little crocodiles at the Cairns Crocodile Farm.

The estuarine crocodile was trapped last night within kilometres of a water skiing
club and boat launch on the Fitzroy River in central Queensland.

He was caught 8.5 km from Laurel Banks, which is home to regular water skiing competitions,
an Environmental Protection Agency spokesman said.

Rockhampton MP Robert Schwarten welcomed the crocodile's removal and congratulated its captors.

"They scoured the river for three nights spotlighting the croc from the QPWS (Queensland
Parks and Wildlife Service) vessel," Mr Schwarten said.

"I'm told that it took more than an hour to bring the croc in, which shows what powerful
animals they are."

The crocodile was today sold to the Cairns Crocodile Farm for its breeding program
and would be temporarily held at the Koorana Croc Farm at Yeppoon near Rockhampton.

AAP sjk/ch/cjh/sd

KEYWORD: CROCODILE

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