CELEBRITY SALTIE STILL LURING SNAPPERS
A LARGE saltwater croc near Babinda is quickly gaining a celebrity-like following among nature photographers and drone operators.
Inhabiting a section of the Russell River near the Clyde Rd bridge, the croc has not moved up into Babinda Creek and won’t be targeted for removal according to the Department of Environment and Science.
Since the saltie began to regularly emerge on a sandbank in the river, a stream of hobby photographers have taken advantage of its lack of fear, according to keen nature snapper and East Russell resident Gus Lee said.
“Now there is more people going to the bridge, some people bring really big cameras and people bring drones,” he said. “The main thing for me is to make people aware that this croc could be dangerous.
“I’m getting jitters about this croc. Normally they swim away but this one swims straight towards me.”
Fiery debate has raged about if the 3m-4m animal is the croc known as Clyde since regular sightings began in June; or if the croc is a newcomer that’s challenged Clyde for territory.
Hobby drone operator Ayman Hamzeh visiting the river last week said he had recently relocated to Innisfail from Sydney and previously had only ever seen a croc in the zoo.
“I was interested just for fun and entertainment,” he said.
“I was surprised to see crocodiles in
the wild and I had seen them in the zoo but not in these areas.
“So I bought a drone to see the crocs, and for the mountains and the beaches and forest.”
Aware of the croc, a DES spokesman stated in June there was no plan to target the crocodile for
removal, unless it demonstrated behaviour indicating it was a threat to public safety.
The section of river near the Clyde Rd bridge is classified Zone C crocodile management area meaning crocodiles larger than 2m will only be removed if displaying dangerous behaviour.