No photos please: How Bob Irwin plans to save influencers from themselves
Conservationist Bob Irwin has taken on the modern trend of instant fame with a push to change Queensland’s laws to stop people trying to make online content with photographs and footage of crocodiles.
Bob Irwin, the father of legendary Australian crocodile hunter Steve Irwin. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts)
Irwin and the Environmental Defenders Office have paired up to write amendments to the Nature Conservation Act following a series of incidents in which people entered crocodile infested waters to make online content.
Earlier this year a Queensland man entered waters near Cooktown and was bitten on the leg by a crocodile while his dog was taken.
EDO said the incidents not only put people in danger but could also lead to the culling of crocodiles.
The amendments would include making it an offence for someone to recklessly use a crocodile habitat. They would also include a penalty for the offence of disturbing a crocodile and make it an aggravated offence of using a crocodile habitat of disturbing a crocodile for the purpose of making social media content.
Traditional Owner Kathleen Walker, from Wujal Wujal Country north of Kulki/Cape Tribulation, has also written to Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon supporting the proposed reforms.
“The men who have recklessly entered crocodile habitat have tarnished the reputation of our otherwise safe community and caused two of our totem animals to been killed against our wishes,” she said.
“The euthanasia of the two crocodiles because of a recent incident has deeply saddened our people. It was completely unnecessary and avoidable.
“We support the Environmental Defenders Office’s recommendations in the name of creating greater protection for our totem animal, the saltwater crocodile, when human error is involved.
“We would like to see a no-tolerance approach to members of the public who take the risk in crocodile territory and for greater mitigation measures to be legislated.”
EDO’s Kirstiana Ward said the amendments wouldn’t stop anyone fishing or safely enjoying areas where crocs live.
“They close a legal loophole that allows people to get away with deliberately and dangerously using crocodile habitat,” she said.
“Crocodiles are ambush predators. You don’t see them coming, which means the laws that already prohibit people deliberately interfering with wildlife don’t apply.
“The law reforms we’re proposing are similar to those we have for managing human behaviour with dingoes on K’gari/Fraser Island.
“Communities and crocodiles can peacefully co-exist when people do the right thing. This is not a croc management issue — it is a people management issue.
“We have suggested a legal solution to this problem that is a measured response to protect our valued native species.”
