Disturbing find in the boot of a car after crocodile was decapitated – as theory behind the grisly attack is revealed

Unsettling images of well known crocodile’s head in a car boot have emerged, as it is revealed it was likely taken by poachers and would be sold on the black market. 

The five metre croc, known by those in the area as Big John, was found drowned in a fishing net by locals at Yarrabah near Cairns, in northern Queensland, on July 30 and the body was disposed of. 

It had been a mystery what had happened to the head until the disturbing pictures surfaced, prompting many in the town to call for a criminal investigation, especially the Yarrabah indigenous community for which crocodiles are totem animals. 

Crocodiles are protected fauna in Australia under federal, state and territory laws and the international trade of crocodile products is also heavily regulated.

Many Yarrabah residents are furious over what happened to the croc, one of whom is traditional owner Warren Martens, who said the head has not been found and he suspects the perpetrators preserved it for sale.

‘If you are going to chop the head off a crocodile you need to be criminally responsible for it,’ he told The Cairns Post.

He wants the Queensland Department of Environment, Science, Tourism and Education to take up the investigation with the help of police.

‘If the department does not have the appropriate legislation to deal with these people, then go back to the government and ask for it.’

Mr Martens added the ‘professional poachers’ who are likely to blame need to be punished. 

‘The department needs to crack down,’ he said.

The traditional owner also called into question several Aboriginal organisations which were tasked with patrolling the area leading up to Big John’s death. 

These groups should have removed the nets from the river which ultimately killed Big John, he said. 

Traditional owner Vincent Schreiber said indigenous groups had been working to track down the owner of the car which was found to be hiding Big John’s head. 

These efforts however, have so far been unsuccessful. 

‘Everyone has gone quiet’ but the ‘dark secret has to come out sooner or later’, Mr Schreiber said.

‘If it got caught in the net and if someone came up and said, ”It’s my net”, I would have been happy with that, but the cutting of the head is unwarranted and it does not sit right,’ he added. 

New legislation passed in Queensland to help crack down on this behaviour is not enough if the Department of Environment cannot investigate these claims properly,  Community Representations of Crocodiles co-founder Amanda French told the publication. 

‘It’s really concerning seeing people target large crocs like this. It’s atrocious,’ she said. 

If DESI doesn’t have the investigative power to continue on this hunt then their power is uesless,’ Mr Merton said.

 power, they need to hand it over to someone who does and we need to see the full penalty issued.’

DESI is currently investigating the death of Big John and has urged anyone with information to call 1300 130 372.