{"id":44489,"date":"2025-08-05T04:47:10","date_gmt":"2025-08-05T04:47:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/44489\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T04:47:10","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T04:47:10","slug":"beloved-crocodile-big-john-is-found-decapitated-in-far-north-queensland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/44489\/","title":{"rendered":"Beloved crocodile ‘Big John’ is found decapitated in Far North Queensland"},"content":{"rendered":"

By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER<\/a> <\/p>\n

Published: 21:58 EDT, 4 August 2025 | Updated: 22:47 EDT, 4 August 2025 <\/p>\n

A celebrity\u00a0five-metre-long saltwater crocodile known as Big John has been discovered decapitated and entangled in a net.<\/p>\n

Wildlife authorities have launched an investigation after the massive croc was found dead in a fishing net in\u00a0Yarrabah Bay, in Far North Queensland<\/a>, on July 30.<\/p>\n

The crocodile was a famous figure in the region and was easily recognised by his missing tail tip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He was nicknamed the\u00a0‘Crocodile Casanova of Buddbadoo’ for his frequent sunbathing in the\u00a0Buddabadoo creek system with several female crocs.<\/p>\n

Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji (GMY) Rangers have carefully monitored Big John for four years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

GMY Rangers shared an emotional tribute to the ‘guardian of our waterways’.<\/p>\n

‘We will carry his memory forward, honour his place in our shared story, and continue to walk with respect for all that lives – and has lived – on Buddabadoo Country,’ the organisation wrote.<\/p>\n

‘Rest easy, Big John. You will always be part of our Country.’<\/p>\n

\"Big <\/p>\n

Big John (pictured) was found trapped and decapitated in a fishing net<\/p>\n

\"Big <\/p>\n

Big John (pictured) was a local celebrity in Far North Queensland and hailed as a ‘guardian of the waterways’<\/p>\n

The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) is investigating Big John’s death.<\/p>\n

It’s understood the net used to trap Big John hadn’t been abandoned, but was still in use at the time of his death.<\/p>\n

Possession of crocodile remains without a permit is illegal in Queensland.<\/p>\n

Those convicted can face up to $37,552 in fines.<\/p>\n

Anyone can anonymously report information by calling 1300 130 372 or completing a wildlife complaint form via the DETSI website.<\/p>\n

GMY Rangers described Big John as ‘more than a crocodile’.\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘He was a guardian of our waterways, a link to our ancestral knowledge, and a living reminder of why we protect and care for our land and sea country,’ they said.<\/p>\n

Several locals were sad to hear of the crocodile’s death and called for him to be memorialised.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The net in which Big John (pictured) was found was still in use, not abandoned<\/p>\n

\"The\u00a0Department <\/p>\n

The\u00a0Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation is investigating Big John’s death<\/p>\n

‘Very sad, should put a statue or monument in honour of the big fella down there \u2026 Sorry for your loss rangers,’ one wrote.<\/p>\n

‘Sorry guys for your loss. What a legend Big John was,’ another said.<\/p>\n

‘I think GMY should make a book about Big John – a kids’ book with a story of legacy, icons and Country,’ another wrote.<\/p>\n

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\n Beloved crocodile ‘Big John’ is found decapitated in Far North Queensland<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:58 EDT, 4 August 2025 | Updated: 22:47 EDT, 4 August 2025…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44490,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[64,63,100,44],"class_list":{"0":"post-44489","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-australia","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-dailymail","11":"tag-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}