Major search continues after shock crocodile sighting near Bundaberg
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The race is on to track down a crocodile reportedly spotted hundreds of kilometres outside 'Croc Country'.
A member of the public reported a 3m long predator at a boat ramp on the Burnett River in Bundaberg in central Queensland last Friday, prompting a sweeping response from the state's environmental department and wildlife officers.
The crocodile was reportedly observed emerging from under a tree to face the resident, before raising its tail and vanishing into the water.
The witnesses spent an hour searching but the crocodile didn't resurface again.
The sighting sparked a four day search scouring a 14km stretch of the waterway spanning from the Bundaberg Rum distillery to the river's mouth.
Almost 100 hours of day and night patrols are yet to reveal any signs of evidence of the reported crocodile, despite extensive search efforts.
'We were looking for the telltale signs of crocodiles, such as the red eye shine at night, claw marks and slide marks in mud and flattened patches of grass on the banks,' senior wildlife officer Joshua Morris said.
'The investigation will continue into the week, which again will include ground searches of the river during the day and at night.
A four day search for a crocodile reportedly spotted in Bundaberg will continue after Friday
New warning signs have been installed at the scene of the croc sighting on the Burnett River
'We have not received any further sighting reports from members of the public and we plan to leave the recent crocodile sighting sign at the McGills Street boat ramp in place until Friday if there are no further sightings reported by then.'
Bundaberg is better known for its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and rum production rather than crocodile sightings.
If the initial report is true, the wayward crocodile would be the first seen so far south in a decade.
Bundaberg falls under a 'Zone F' designation in Queensland's crocodile management Plan – an 'atypical crocodile habitat'.
'Any crocodile confirmed to be present in Zone F is automatically targeted for removal from the wild,' Mr Morris said.
Crocodiles in Rockhampton's Fitzroy River, 300km north of Bundaberg are considered to be the southern-most breeding population in the world.
Crocodiles are not known to wander as far south as Bundaberg, and there hasn't been a confirmed sighting in the area since 2014
'Regions south of Rockhampton are believed to be too cold in winter to support populations of crocodiles,' Mr Morris said.
'That's why just two vagrant crocodiles have been confirmed to be present outside of Croc Country, and those two animals were removed from the Mary River in 2013 and 2014.'
The Boyne River, 170km north-west of Bundaberg, is considered the southernmost perimeter of 'Croc Country'.
The rare sighting prompted an official response which the Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation confirmed on Monday.
'I want to reassure the community that wildlife officers investigate every crocodile sighting report we receive, and we will conduct a thorough investigation into this report,' Mr Morris said at the time.
'We're asking people in the Bundaberg region to be vigilant around the water during the investigation, which may continue into next week.
'That means keeping your children close and keeping your pets on a lead and away from the water's edge.'
Locals were urged to report any potential sightings using the QWildlife app, on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372.
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