A family in Newcastle, New South Wales, experienced a narrow escape when a mother initially dismissed her son’s alarming report of a crocodile lurking in a nearby creek. On a recent afternoon, 12-year-old Lionel Saunders called his mother, Stephanie Kirsop, to share what he believed was an unusual sighting. Initially thinking her son was joking, Kirsop later confirmed there was indeed a crocodile in the water.
Upon investigating, Kirsop was astounded to find a 39-inch-long Australian freshwater crocodile swimming in the creek where local children frequently fish and sometimes swim. Reflecting on the incident, Kirsop remarked, “There is a little crocodile just swimming around in the creek where local kids go to fish and sometimes swim in there. Wow.”
Kirsop initially thought Lionel was playing a prank, insisting the sighting was likely a log floating in the water. She explained, “My son took videos because he was trying to convince me it was real, and I didn’t believe him.” After a second call from Lionel, who urged her to come see for herself, Kirsop began to reconsider. “The whole drive down there I’m thinking this is going to be a trick. They’re going to laugh at me,” she added.
The crocodile was eventually captured approximately two miles from its original sighting. Local authorities, however, were initially skeptical of the report. According to Billy Collett, manager of the Australian Reptile Park, they often receive false alarms in the area. Collett even expressed doubt about the authenticity of the images he received, suspecting they could have been generated using artificial intelligence. “I was a bit suspicious because we get a lot of phone calls. These days with AI, it’s just so crazy… They’re capable of inflicting serious injury,” he said.
The crocodile, now safe, will be housed at the Australian Reptile Park until a permanent relocation decision is made. Collett remarked, “I just wanted to get him out of there because he would’ve perished in winter.” As Australia transitions into autumn, the expert believes the reptile may have been an abandoned pet, released into the wild after outgrowing its habitat.
Crocodiles are protected under Australian law, making their management particularly significant. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers posed by wildlife in urban and suburban areas, as well as the importance of remaining vigilant in environments where children play.
