A juvenile crocodile has been safely captured after being discovered in a pond at Federal Park in Wallsend over the weekend.
Police were called to the area just after 4:30pm on Saturday after reports the reptile had been seen in a waterway. Officers formed a perimeter around the pond to stop the animal escaping and to keep onlookers at a safe distance.
Specialist animal handlers from the Australian Reptile Park attended that evening, with assistance from SES crews, but were unable to retrieve the crocodile in the dark. The team returned on Sunday and successfully captured the animal.
It is unknown how long the crocodile had been in the water or how it came to be there. No injuries were reported, and police say no additional crocodiles have been found in the area.
Authorities are now making inquiries into the reptile’s origin while ensuring the animal is assessed and cared for by experts.
