Authorities in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, have confirmed the demise of a 12-year-old girl presumed to have been taken by a crocodile while bathing in a distant creek. Two days following her disappearance, the young girl’s remains were discovered in the river vicinity of the aboriginal community of Palumpa, southwest of Darwin, stated Senior Sgt Erica Gibson.
Sgt Gibson disclosed to journalists that the nature of the injuries conclusively established a crocodile assault. She described the incident as horrifically distressing and a tragic end. The perpetrator, likely a territorial saltwater crocodile, is suspected to be lingering in surrounding waters and an ongoing operation to capture it continues.
The incident incited a rigorous search by land, water and sky, spanning over 36 hours. Ever since being legally protected in the 1970s, the saltwater crocodile population has seen a major rise in Australia’s tropical north. Given their longevity — up to 70 years, lifelong growth with potential sizes reaching seven metres (23ft) — there’s been a notable increase in the larger specimens.
Waterways across most of the Northern Territory bear the risk of crocodile presence, making such incidents a pertinent concern.