Part of Australia’s Kakadu National Park is shut to tourists until further notice
Authorities in Australia’s legendary Kakadu National Park have taken the decision to close part of the attraction because of the presence of a three-meter crocodile.
Though the beast has not been seen for several weeks, park rangers decided to close the Twin Falls attraction to tourists despite many tourism businesses being on the verge of going broke.
The manager of the park, Chris Haynes, told the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) that the decision has been an agonising one, especially since the death of a German tourist who was eaten by a crocodile in the park last year. He told the newspaper: “Parks staff have a very clear idea of what the crocodiles are capable of. Our challenge is to have the public understand.”
One Aboriginal leader told the SMH that the Bininj people have always lived with the threat of ginga (crocodiles), adding: “While this place is a park and all the tourists come here, it is also ginga’s country. It is a hard decision to capture him and I feel sorry for ginga, but there are a few places ginga cannot be.”
The newspaper reports that patrols will continue for several weeks before a decision whether to open the park is taken.
