A resident in a remote West Australian community was surprised to discover a baby crocodile in her front yard on the weekend.
Walmajarri woman Kerryanne Hobbs lives in the Central Kimberley community of Wangkatjungka, 130 kilometres south-east of Fitzroy Crossing.
Ms Hobbs stepped outside with her children early on Friday morning to enjoy the rising sun when they noticed a small crowd gathering in the garden.
“Heaps of people from the community and the teachers and kids were looking at something in the front, so I called out them,” she said.
“They said there was a crocodile in my front yard.
“I felt shocked — like, where did he come from?”
Kerryanne Hobbs was taken aback when she walked outside and saw the crowd. (Supplied: Kerryanne Hobbs)
Ms Hobbs called the police, who said the rangers could help handle the situation.
Ms Hobbs kept watch of the crocodile until the rangers arrived.
“They tied him up with duct tape around his mouth,” she said.
“They asked me where to take it, but I don’t know — there’s no water around here.
“I was wondering where and how he could come out to the community.”
The crocodile’s presence excited the kids in Wangkatjungka. (Supplied: Sheralee Hobbs)
‘Drier and drier’
Wangkatjungka is about 2km from the nearest waterway, Christmas Creek, and it seems the crocodile trekked to the community.
Four Ngurrara Rangers were called to the scene, including locals Zenith Thomas and Justin Andrews.
Women’s ranger coordinator Hanna Debergh was part of the rescue and relocation team and believed the crocodile travelled to the community in search of water.
“We know in Wangkatjungka it’s pretty dry at the moment and the fact that it went to the community will be because it’s getting drier and drier,” she said.
“It could be that it got stuck in one of the little pools there and was trying to look for more water.”
Ms Debergh said the rangers were cautious in their handling of the reptile.
“Even if they’re really small, they can be pretty impressive,” she said.
“For a small crocodile like that, I don’t see any threats for people and even animals — it’s just the way you’re going to handle it, you have to really be careful.”
Rangers covered the crocodile’s eyes to keep it calm. (Supplied: Sheralee Hobbs)
River release
Ms Debergh said local knowledge was a key part of managing the situation safely.
“We were not going by ourselves, Nick and I are not from the area,” she said.
“Justin and Zenith helped us on the technique, how to handle the crocodile and how to release it.”
The rangers concluded the best location for the crocodile to be released was the Fitzroy River.
The crocodile was put in the Fitzroy River, where it was judged to have the best chance of survival. (Supplied: Naomi Mackie)
Ms Debergh said covering the crocodile’s eyes helped keep the reptile subdued for the hour’s drive to Fitzroy Crossing.
“Crocodiles are calmer when they can’t see, so we strapped the nose with some tape and we covered his eyes and with a wet towel,” she said.
“Our solution was to try and leave him in a river big enough to hopefully [allow him] to have his own territory, because they are territorial.
“Local rangers reckon if it’s a female it will have more chance of survival, and if it’s a male it will depend on where we left it, if the river is big enough for him to have his own place.”
