Aussie Cop Wrangles Snapping Croc from Backyard Porch
A police officer in remote Western Australia captured a freshwater crocodile from a resident's front porch using a forked metal tool and his bare hands. Senior Sergeant Mark Howes relocated the snappy reptile back to the river after no wildlife experts were available to help.
When residents in a remote Australian town found a crocodile waiting on their front porch, they knew exactly who to call: the local police officer.
Senior Sergeant Mark Howes, the officer in charge at Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia's Kimberley region, got the unusual call late last month. A colleague phoned asking if he knew who handles crocodile removals in their town, about 2,400 kilometers north of Perth.
After making a few calls with no luck finding available wildlife experts, Howes decided to handle it himself. He arrived at the Junjuwa home to find a meter-long freshwater crocodile perched on the front porch, looking decidedly out of place.
His plan seemed simple: push the croc out the front gate and guide it back to the river. But the reptile had other ideas and bolted to the backyard, where there was no gate.
Howes grabbed a shovel, then spotted a piece of metal with a fork on the bottom. Using the tool, he managed to hook the crocodile under its front leg, giving him just enough time to jump behind it and grab it firmly around the neck.
Video footage shows Howes emerging from the backyard with the squirming reptile in his grip, while bewildered neighbors laugh and cheer at the unusual spectacle. The crocodile was loaded into the back of a police wagon and driven back to its river home.
The officer admitted the rescue, dubbed "Operation Crocodile," wasn't exactly smooth sailing. "It still had sharp teeth and it was having a red hot crack at me," Howes said, using Australian slang for the reptile's enthusiastic attempts to bite him.
Sunny's Take
In remote Australian towns, police officers wear many hats beyond law enforcement. Senior Sergeant Howes didn't hesitate when his community needed help, even when the problem had sharp teeth and a bad attitude. His quick thinking and courage kept both residents and the crocodile safe.
This isn't the first time Fitzroy Crossing police have become unlikely wildlife heroes. Crocodile encounters in 2018 and 2023 also went viral on social media, earning local officers praise for their bravery and resourcefulness in protecting their community.
Sometimes the best heroes are the ones who simply show up and figure it out as they go.
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Based on reporting by ABC Australia
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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