Monster 15ft crocodile finally caught after eight-year hunt in Australia

[Wireless News]

http://l2.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/hBvCHBzhCu6h1w2LNLBlAw--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/http://media.zenfs.com/en-GB/homerun/the_telegraph_258/3142df13fb4938a4263b2d6f7f065331 (https://www.yahoo.com/news/monster-15-4ft-crocodile-finally-142641707.html)An elusive monster saltwaterÂ-crocodile weighing 1,328 poundsÂ-has finally been caught after an eight-year hunt in Australia, officials said on Tuesday. The 15-footÂ-beast was found in a trap downstream from the northern outback town of Katherine after first being spotted in 2010. Authorities had tried in vain for years to bag theÂ-croc, which is estimated to be 60 years old. "We've called it a lot of things over the years because it's been so hard to catch," senior wildlife officer John Burke told broadcaster ABC. "It is a bit of a thrill, but you've also got to admire the size of the animal and how old it is. You've got to have a bit of respect for it." The animal was taken to aÂ-crocodile farm to keep it separate from the local human population,Â- Credit: NT Department of Tourism and Culture The animal was taken to aÂ-crocodile farm to keep it separate from the local human population, said Northern Territory wildlife operations chief Tracey Duldig. "He is the biggestÂ-crocodile ever removed from the Katherine River by the Wildlife Operations Unit," Duldig said in a statement. Wildlife rangers capture around 250 "problemÂ-crocodiles" each year. SaltwaterÂ-crocodiles are a common feature of Australia's tropical north and kill an average of two people a year. TheÂ-crocodile population has exploded since they were declared a protected species in the 1970s, with the killing of an elderly woman last year reigniting calls to curb their numbers.



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