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A 14-year-old boy has been hospitalised after he was attacked by a crocodile while fishing at a beach in far north Queensland, authorities said.
He sustained wounds to his leg and torso on Saturday afternoon at Myall beach, Cape Tribulation, a small coastal community 140km north of Cairns, a Queensland ambulance service spokesperson said.
The teenager was in a stable condition on Monday, the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service confirmed.
He had been fishing in thigh-high water before the attack, a Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation spokesperson said.
“A Detsi officer has confirmed the wounds are consistent with a crocodile attack,” the spokesperson said.
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After the attack, the teenager was moved to nearby accommodation, where guests and locals performed initial first aid, the ABC reported.
Detsi officers immediately launched a search of the area, including drones and a boat spotlight search. They found no sign of the crocodile.
The department would continue to monitor the area and had installed additional crocodile warning signage, supplementing the permanent signs at all beach access points.
October marks the start of the annual crocodile breeding season in the area.
Detsi’s website states male crocodiles “become especially sassy when looking for a mate” during this period, potentially increasing risk.
There had been four crocodile sightings around Cape Tribulation in the past month, according to Detsi data, with the most recent report near Mason Creek on 22 October.
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The Queensland Tourism Industry Council chief executive, Natassia Wheeler, said crocodiles were an important part of the ecosystem in far north Queensland.
The tourism industry actively encouraged visitors to be educated and informed on wildlife risks, “as you would anywhere in the world,” she said.
“Our thoughts are with the young person who has been impacted.”
The QTIC recently held a roundtable with media on “the importance of factual reporting that informs and educates the public without overstating incidents in a way that could unfairly impact tourism operators”.
