DARWIN, Australia – Up to 70 rotting
crocodile heads have been found in an old freezer dumped at a remote Australian
town, police said Tuesday, with the culprits facing large fines and jail time
if convicted of the killings.
Several teenagers made the grisly
find behind a row of shops at Humpty Doo, 40 kilometres (25 miles) outside
Darwin on Sunday and contacted authorities.
Police said at least 50 saltwater
crocodile heads, and as many as 70, were stuffed inside.
No one has been arrested but anyone
convicted of killing protected wildlife faces a fine of up to Aus$76,500 (US$55,000)
or five years in jail.
It was not clear why the heads
had been severed but crocodile skins are highly prized and there is a thriving
market.
It was not clear why the heads
had been severed but crocodile skins are highly prized and there is a thriving
market.
Saltwater crocodiles, which can
grow up to seven metres (23 feet) long and weigh more than a tonne, have become
increasingly common in Australia’s Northern Territory since they were declared
a protected species in 1971.
Each year more than 500 are
culled to protect the public and livestock, with the animals killing an average
of two people a year.
Keeping them as pets is legal in
the Northern Territory if they are under 60 centimetres.
Source: AFP
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