A crocodile nearly five metres long has been caught near a popular waterfall and picnic area, prompting warnings as the reptiles get about more in the wet season.
The 4.9-metre saltie was pulled from a trap on a creek that feeds into Wangi Falls, in Litchfield National Park in the Top End, on Monday.
Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife rangers are capturing a crocodile a day so far in 2026, after catching 241 in 2025, 30 fewer than 2024, with the reptiles sent to crocodile farms or destroyed.
Many national park sites are closed for swimming during the wet season, including Wangi Falls, with signs in place warning people to be "crocwise".
NT Parks and Wildlife Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said exceptional wet season rainfall had driven increased crocodile movement across the Top End, with waterways expanding and connecting earlier than usual.
"Our crocodile management teams and park rangers are on the ground every day responding to reports, installing and checking traps, and conducting day and night surveys to keep Territorians and visitors safe," she said in a statement on Thursday. "My message to all people who are looking to swim in natural waterways over the wet season is - if there is water, there could be crocodiles."
Parks and Wildlife Senior Executive Director Neva McCartney said public safety always guided decisions about access to swimming locations. "Where we can keep swimming areas open safely during the wet season, we do. Where the risk is too high, we close," she said.
The first crocodile of the year to be caught by NT rangers was a 2.7-metre one on New Year's Day in a creek in the Darwin rural area where children were swimming the day before.
Rangers this year will have new purpose-built baited crocodile traps to place at key sites to catch crocodiles that might pose a threat to people, including in popular swimming areas.
Nearly 200 of the 241 crocs captured by NT rangers in 2025 were pulled out of Darwin Harbour.
