Dog-eating crocodile that terrorized Australian town is killed and eaten by residents: “Never a dull moment”

A saltwater crocodile terrorized a remote Australian community by grabbing dogs and lunging at children, only to meet its end at a party thrown by the locals. The 12-foot reptile “had been chasing and lunging out of the water at children and adults,” Northern Territory police said in a statement.

“The crocodile had also taken several dogs from the community.”

After speaking with elders and traditional owners of the Bulla community, police shot and killed the scaly predator on Tuesday, police said.

“The community prepared it for a feast in the traditional way,” they said.

The crocodile had migrated during flooding earlier this year to a river near homes in the area, about a six-hour drive south of Darwin, police said.

The animal ended up being the main ingredient in several meals, Sergeant Andrew McBride told Australian public broadcaster ABC.

“I think it was cooked in a crocodile tail soup, it was on the barbecue, some pieces were wrapped in banana leaves and cooked underground,” McBride said.

“There was quite a large traditional feast.”

Commander Kylie Anderson said “crocodiles can pose a significant risk to the safety of the community” and praised officers and residents for working closely together to solve the problem.

“There's never a dull moment in remote policing,” Anderson said.

The Northern Territory government says it “uses a risk-based strategic management approach to determine the level of management activity” for crocodiles.

Crocodiles are very mobile, and have periodically had dangerous encounters with people in Australia. Earlier this year, a crocodile jumped on board a fishing boat in Queensland while the man was fishing in a stream on New Year's Eve.

Last year, Australia's Northern Territory's top politician said it was “time to consider” returning to the crocodile cull after a attack at a popular swimming spot.

In May 2023, a man snorkeling off the coast of North Queensland, Australia, was attacked by a crocodile and he survived by raising his jaws out of his head That same month, the remains of an Australian man that disappeared on a fishing trip in crocodile-infested waters were found inside two of the reptiles.