Crocodile appears in Broome resort garden, mystifying locals

The discovery of a baby crocodile in a Broome resort garden has stumped local wildlife experts. 

“It was tiny, very hungry and malnourished,” Val Douglas, owner of the Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park, said of the saltwater crocodile.

“We’re absolutely flummoxed as to how it got there.”

The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions [DBCA] confirmed that the estuarine hatchling was discovered in a resort on Sanctuary Road by a member of the public this week and had been “returned” to the crocodile park.

Baby crocodiles like this one can grow up to six metres.(

ABC Rural: Matt Brann

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But Mrs Douglas doubted it had escaped her Cable Beach wildlife centre.

“We’ve got very fine wire all around the park, about 40 centimetres high,” she said.

“Three of us have gone right round and it’s been all checked and there are no gaps.

“So we just don’t know how it got there.”

DBCA said a thorough search of the area found no other young “salties”, which can grow to six metres.

Crocodiles have appeared in unexpected places around Cable Beach, including a café, a backyard swimming pool and a car park.

The DBCA said nine hatchlings had been recovered in the past year from the Cable Beach area.

“These hatchlings are believed to have escaped from the park.” a spokesperson said.

Staff were working closely with the park to ensure boundary fences and gates were secure.

A newly hatched saltwater crocodile in Townsville. (

ABC North Queensland: Kathleen Calderwood

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Mrs Douglas said she knew of tourists catching baby crocodiles on holiday in the Kimberley then tiring of their snappy travelling companion.

“They would throw them over our fence,” she said. “Although they haven’t done that for a while.

A baby saltwater crocodile hatching from its egg.(

ABC North Queensland: Kathleen Calderwood

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“And then five years ago we had a problem with hawks and sea eagles picking up hatchlings. We made the yearling pen bird-proof.”

Mrs Douglas said it was crocodile hatching season and the baby found in the garden would be cared for at her wildlife centre.