Queenslanders fume over suspected trophy killing of giant crocodile beheaded on beach

Queensland’s Department of Environment and science is yet to determine a cause of death. Photo / Tom Chalmers Hayes

Locals in Far North Queensland have been left appalled by what is suspected to be a trophy killing of a crocodile on an idyllic local beach.

The beheaded four-meter giant was found last week on the remote Cow Bay Beach, Queensland, in the Daintree Rainforest.

Tom Chalmers Hayes, a crocodile photographer and conservationist, rushed to the area upon hearing of the dead animal.

He was visibly agitated and distressed in a series of furious videos posted to social media venting his frustration.

“I can’t f***ing believe some people,” he said standing just metres from the slain croc.

“Sorry about my language but this is such bulls***.”

He said the croc, which some in the area had taken issue with, appeared to be shot and with its head cut off “for some sort of trophy”.

He described the timing as “odd” considering a spate of attacks in Far North Queensland in recent months.

“I know there have been some people who don’t like this crocodile in this area for a while, but I just can’t imagine why anyone would actually take it upon themselves to kill him – It’s pretty disgusting.”

The suspected killing hit home for Chalmers Hayes, a son of a conservationist, who took up croc photography and conservation as an escape from depression and alcoholism.

Cairns-based crocodile photographer Tom Chalmers Hayes was shocked by the suspected killing. Photo / Tom Chalmers Hayes

“I started getting into photography of crocodiles, and that sort of enhanced my love for them even more because I was capturing that character as capturing their day-to-day,” he told news.com.au.

“I think the love for crocodiles has always been there. I mean, any 8-year-old boy will tell you they love dinosaurs, so it was sort of like a real thing a reignition of a boyhood thing.”

At the time of reporting, the Department of Environment and Science (DES) has been unable to determine how the croc was killed.

“Wildlife officers cannot determine the cause of death,” a spokesman said.

The department spokesman said it was seeking public assistance to help figure out what occurred while warning of major penalties for deliberately harming crocodiles.

“It is unlawful to deliberately harm or kill crocodiles or be in possession of a deceased crocodile or parts of a deceased crocodile,” he said.

“The maximum penalty for the deliberate harm or killing of crocodiles in Queensland is A$14,375.”

Other locals said the croc had lived in a creek in the area for a long time and had been seen around the beach in recent weeks.

A man was recently attacked while sleeping on a beach. Photo / Supplied

A local woman from the tiny seaside village told the Cairns Post on the weekend the crocodile has been “cruising that area” for roughly six weeks.

“I was horrified, maybe someone wanted to get rid of it, maybe it is a trophy-hunting hero act,” she said.

Another tour operator from the area said the prospect of a natural predator could almost certainly be ruled out.

“The head is really well attached ... [it] is used as a weapon when they fight, it’s very strong. There’s no damage, no bite marks anywhere else on its body,” David White from Solar Whisper River Tours said.

Chalmers Hayes told news.com.au that even if it had died of natural causes, he was certain it had still been “mutilated” post-mortem.

The animal’s death follows three reported serious, but non-fatal attacks in the area in recent months.

But it was an incident on Bloomfield River, in Far North Queensland, which has sparked a major croc safety campaign from conservationists and local First Nations representatives to have tougher penalties introduced for people who put themselves in harm’s way around crocs.

In late February, Alister MacPhee, 37, survived a crocodile attack at Bloomfield River.

Alister MacPhee and his dog before an attack by a big croc on the Bloomfield River. Photo / Supplied

His dog, Molly, wasn’t so lucky, being eaten by the reptile, which was also ultimately destroyed by the DES.

MacPhee was filming himself when the attack occurred and was blasted by conservationists, who accused him of deliberately provoking the attack.

Among those is Bob Irwin, the father of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, who is worried recent videos posted online risk more copycat acts if authorities don’t clamp down on it.

Irwin, with the Environmental Defenders Office and First Nations representatives from the area, has provided the Queensland Government with proposed changes to close the gap that stops authorities from prosecuting such behaviour.

Among their suggestions is creating an offence for recklessly using a crocodile habitat, giving more powers to the DES and introducing an aggravated offence with an increased penalty for recklessly using a crocodile habitat or disturbing a crocodile for the purposes of social media publication.

“The only way this is going to stop is when the departments enforce penalties for this intolerable behaviour,” Irwin previously told news.com.au.

Chalmers Hayes agreed.

“The [Cow Bay] waterway has now been made more dangerous. It’s unpredictable. Everything’s been thrown out of balance,” he said.

“You’ve now got three to four large males with no territory coming in competing for this spot. That’s dangerous as hell.”