Crocodile capture and management

Parks and Wildlife in the Northern Territory (NT) Government manages saltwater crocodiles in most Top End areas.

This includes all population centres and parks except Kakadu National Park as this is managed by the Australian Government.

The aim of crocodile management is to reduce the risk of attacks.

How NT Parks and Wildlife manages saltwater crocodiles is summarised below.

You can also read more about the Management Program for the Saltwater Crocodile.

Areas managed

NT Parks and Wildlife has crocodile survey and trapping programs in the following areas:

• Darwin Harbour
• Darwin rural areas
• Katherine town region
• Borroloola township
• NT parks and reserves.

Outside of these areas, only crocodiles that pose a risk to public safety are trapped and removed.

For information about saltwater crocodile management policies in the NT, read conservation of crocodiles.

How crocodiles are caught

NT Parks and Wildlife uses crocodile traps, harpooning techniques and surveys to find and remove problem crocodiles.

Trained wildlife rangers capture more than 250 problem crocodiles each year. These crocodiles are transferred to crocodile farms or destroyed.

Trapped crocodiles can't be relocated due to costs and because they can travel large distances to return to their home range.

Crocodile traps

More than 80 crocodile traps are used in strategic locations across the Top End.

If you stand on, interfere with or damage a crocodile trap, you can be charged with a criminal offence.

The maximum penalty is 50 penalty units or imprisonment for 6 months.

To find out about penalty units, go to the Attorney General's Department website.

Map of saltwater crocodile captures