Senator stands for croc culling

AUSTRALIAN senator Bob Katter, of Katter’s Australian Party, is launching a week-long tour of North Queensland to drum up support for a crocodile culling programme.

The party wants to introduce legislation that would see crocodile safari hunting legalised, along with an incentive scheme that would encourage the removal of crocodile eggs.

“Reports show seven beaches have been closed due to croc sightings in the past three months,” Queensland MP Shane Knuth said in a statement.

Last month, a 35-year-old spearfisherman was taken by a 4m crocodile in the township of Innisfail, with another man, 47, killed in the Northern Territory at a river crossing in January.

In 2016, there were 127 confirmed crocodile sightings in the state of Queensland, with another 378 unconfirmed reports.

Many believe the problem is deteriorating drastically in the north, as there were only 87 sightings in the previous year.

In 2011, the figure was just 56. But not everyone in the region agrees with the idea of culling crocodiles.

When asked about Katter’s proposed idea in January, Australia Zoo’s head reptile keeper Daniel Rumsey told Xinhua: “I don’t agree. They’re Australia’s apex predator and essential to maintain the delicate balance of our environment.”

He said removing larger crocodiles from an area can often make the remaining reptiles more aggressive and more likely to attack humans. – Xinhua