So, around here, most of the rivers, billabongs, waterfalls, etc. have signs that warn you not to swim because of crocodiles. Looks like they'll have to post one of those signs on the Nightcliff pool (where I've been swimming this year). This article ran in the NT News today:
Saltwater croc gets cool by poolsideBy FLORA LIVERIS
06feb07
Northern Territory News
A GROUP of early morning swimmers arrived at a Darwin public pool yesterday to find that someone had got there before them ... a saltwater crocodile.
The crocodile, which was resting on the lawn, scampered across the grass and jumped into the pool when the swim group's coach turned the pool lights on and startled the resting reptile.
Parks and Wildlife Service rangers Tom Nichols and Andy Wood got the call to head to the Nightcliff pool about 5.15am.
"The animal was extremely tired,'' Mr Nichols said.
"I can't say whether someone put it there, but it wouldn't have walked up the cliff and there is a fence around the swimming pool.''
Mr Nichols said the croc may have been trying to find some respite from rough seas.
He said rough waters usually kept crocodiles out at sea, but it wasn't impossible for the 1.63m saltie to have made its way to pool.
"They don't like swimming around in weather like this, so it would have been looking for somewhere quieter,'' he said.
"The pool would have been nice and safe for him.
"It also could have been human intervention and he was picked up and put in there.''
Mr Nichols, who has has been the NT's chief croc catcher for 12 years, said yesterday's rescue was a "text book capture''.
"We harpooned him from the top of the pool and tied him up,'' he said.
"He didn't like that.''
The saltie was moved to the Darwin Crocodile Farm yesterday.
So far, 17 salties have been caught in Darwin waters this year.
