ANIMALS
More: Crocodiles Make Multiple Visits To Neighborhood In Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia
A police officer in Australia unsuccessfully tried to subdue a crocodile by throwing a towel over its head before wildlife experts were called to the scene.
Photos shared by Jaye Bedford show the crocodile on a sidewalk in a neighborhood in Fitzroy Crossing, about 250 miles east of Broome in Western Australia, in the early hours of Jan. 26.
A Fitzroy Crossing police officer slowly approached the crocodile from behind, and as soon as the officer tossed the towel over its head, the croc thrashed and whipped the towel away.
“Officers attempted to contain the crocodiles movements using several techniques, which were not effective due to the crocodiles active response to those attempts,” police said in a statement.
Officers called volunteer wildlife expert Tamela of Wild Life West Inc. to assist, and the crocodile was successfully tranquilized.
“Tamela cares for injured animals and without her assistance it is believed there would have been no way to safely relocate the crocodile without officers or the crocodile itself being harmed,” police said. The crocodile was transported to a nearby river system.
A second crocodile was spotted in the neighborhood the next night. “Once again, Community members, Police and local Wildlife lady, Tamela were on the scene,” Bedford wrote alongside photos on Facebook. This crocodile made its way to a culvert with long grass and a bit of water, making capture difficult, so the decision was made to let it be, Bedford said.
