Northern Territory
Tourists shocked by the return of monster croc
A monster croc - believed to be about 4.5m long - has reappeared at a popular Northern Territory reserve.
The huge saltie was seen sunning himself on the road at the Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve - a birdwatchers' paradise - at lunchtime yesterday.
It is believed to be the same crocodile spotted at the reserve in March.
The croc shocked visitors and daytripping family groups by stepping out of the swamp at Fogg Dam and sunbaking on the walkway.
Birdwatcher Darryel "Biggles" Binns, 58, was surprised when the crocodile suddenly appeared behind him at the reserve, 60km from Darwin.
"I thought it was a cow lying on the path at first," he said.
Mr Binns said people using the walkway needed to be aware of the crocodile danger.
The crocodile has the same distinctive marks near its back leg as the one spotted by wine salesman Brian Hammond in March.
At the time Mr Hammond described the saltie as "the ultimate killing machine".
"He would be the king of the swamp out there," he said.
Parks and Wildlife officers set a trap for the croc after the initial sighting, but the croc was too big and could not be caught.
The croc appears to have no fear of humans and is not afraid to venture out of the water and on to the road.
The Territory Government declared a 50 kilometre croc-free zone around Darwin after 11-year-old Briony Goodsell was taken by a huge saltie in Lambells Lagoon in March.
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