{"id":366023,"date":"2026-03-03T18:18:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T18:18:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/366023\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T18:18:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T18:18:12","slug":"crocodile-caught-in-australian-creek-1200-miles-from-tropical-habitat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/366023\/","title":{"rendered":"Crocodile caught in Australian creek 1,200 miles from tropical habitat"},"content":{"rendered":"

By ROD McGUIRK<\/strong><\/p>\n

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) \u2014 Stephanie Kirsop didn\u2019t believe her son when he called to say a crocodile<\/a> was lurking in a creek near their home.<\/p>\n

The family live in the temperate coastal city of Newcastle, which is 1,200 miles south of Australia\u2019s crocodile habitat<\/a> in the tropical north.<\/p>\n

Lionel Saunders, 12, and his friends had spotted the juvenile 39-inch-long croc early Saturday afternoon. Authorities were initially skeptical of the reported find but had caught the elusive reptile by Sunday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy son took videos because he was trying to convince me it was real and I didn\u2019t believe him. It did look like a crocodile but I was like, no it\u2019s a log,\u201d Kirsop said Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe rang me back a little bit later and he\u2019s like: \u2018I\u2019m so serious mom. You have to come down here and have a look,\u2019\u201d Kirsop said. \u201cThe whole drive down there I\u2019m thinking this is going to be a trick. They\u2019re going to laugh at me.\u201d<\/p>\n

She was in no doubt it was a crocodile when she arrived.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a little crocodile just swimming around in the creek where local kids go to fish and sometimes kids swim in there. Wow,\u201d Kirsop said.<\/p>\n

She called a wildlife rescue service and was told crocodiles don\u2019t live in the area. Kirsop sent her own photos and video as proof.<\/p>\n

Kirsop was referred to the Australian Reptile Park, which keeps its own crocodiles in a temperature-controlled environment.<\/p>\n

Park manager Billy Collett said he suspected the images might have been artificial intelligence-generated fakes. But police confirmed there was a croc in Ironbark Creek.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a bit suspicious because we get a lot of phone calls. These days with AI, it\u2019s just so crazy,\u201d Collett said.<\/p>\n