BLOODY IDIOTS
“STUPID and reckless” men, who played around inside a crocodile trap at Port Douglas just days after an elderly woman was taken by a predator in the area, could be fined thousands of dollars.
Queensland’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is investigating a series of photos posted to social media on October 20 that show four men inside and on top of a floating croc trap, near Dickson’s Inlet.
Anne Cameron, 79, was taken by a 4.3m saltwater crocodile at Craiglie Creek, a short distance away from the inlet, a week earlier.
The crocodile was euthanased by rangers, but they could not rule out other large reptiles being in the area.
An EHP spokeswoman confirmed the department had launched an investigation into the trap incident, strongly condemning the men’s “stupid and reckless” interference with the equipment.
“These traps are specifically designed to attract crocodiles and they are deployed in places where a problem crocodile is known to be present,” she said.
“It is extremely dangerous to interfere with a crocodile trap, regardless of whether or not there is a crocodile within.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that interfering with crocodile traps can be potentially life-threatening for the person concerned.
“It also places the general public at risk if the trap is tampered with in such a way that it becomes inoperative, hampering the ability of the department to deliver its important public safety role.”
The Palaszczuk government has been cracking down on people who deliberately interfere with crocodile traps, increasing the penalty for the offence to more than $15,000.
Environment Minister Steven Miles said the incident “took the cake” in terms of people tampering with traps.
“We’ve got grown men, swimming in a crocodile trap, exactly where we put the bait for the crocodiles,” he said.
“This is not far from where a woman was taken just a week ago.”