ROTTEN KILLER
This is the monster croc that killed a spear fisherman — floating belly up in the Russell River Rangers forced to haul in predator after bloated carcass resurfaces
RANGERS were last night forced to remove the body of the crocodile that killed a popular Cairns spearfishman after it resurfaced in the lower reaches of the Russell River.
Fishermen were yesterday met with the grisly sight of the bloated carcass of the 4m long saltwater croc that attacked Warren Hughes, 35, on Saturday at Palmer Point, about 40km south of the city.
The massive saltie had been shot dead by rangers on Tuesday night, at the mouth of the Russell River, and left to sink to the bottom of the estuary.
Wildlife officers from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection had been authorised to use lethal force on the aggressive animal, which had charged vessels during the three-day search for Mr Hughes’ body.
An EHP spokeswoman confirmed the croc corpse found yesterday by fishers was the same animal euthanised by wildlife officers earlier this week.
“The carcass will be taken to a secure facility and disposed of appropriately,” she said.
Bramston Beach fisherman Russell Constable encountered the dead croc while whetting a line about 2.5km from the river mouth, yesterday morning.
Mr Constable, who is also a conservationist, hit out at the rangers for the “revenge killing” of the animal.
“I can’t see the logic of killing it,” he said.
“It makes absolutely no sense.
“Nothing is achieved by killing the crocodile.
“Just because it attacked someone who was in its territory, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to be running into people’s yards, trying to attack people.
“It’s the middle of breeding season – it was doing exactly what a crocodile should have been doing.
Fishery Falls Hotel owner David Church said much of the community was relieved the crocodile responsible for Mr Hughes’ death was no longer a threat.
a relief that they shot it, because it’s a very aggressive one,” he said.
He claimed, however, there was still plenty of crocs in the Russell River, with a friend recently counting 73 in just one night.