Police in Australia’s Northern Territory were searching Wednesday for a 12-year-old child feared to have been attacked by a crocodile.
The child was reported missing on Tuesday evening and was last seen swimming in a creek in Palumpa, a remote community of about 350 people that is seven hours’ drive from the territory’s capital, Darwin. Initial reports indicated there had been a crocodile attack.
“Local officers are on scene and our thoughts are with the family and the community,” Senior Sergeant Erica Gibson said in a statement.
“Officers are currently searching a large section of the creek via boat and we thank the community for their ongoing assistance.”
There are estimated to be more than 100,000 saltwater crocodiles in the wild in the Northern Territory, where they have been protected from mass culls and hunting since 1971. They are the largest species of crocodile in the world and can reach up to 20 feet in length, though fatal attacks on humans are relatively uncommon.
Last month, a saltwater crocodile that had reportedly lunged at humans and snatched pets in another part of the territory was captured, killed and made into a feast for local residents.
Citing the threat to human safety, Northern Territory officials increased the number of crocodiles allowed to be removed annually to 1,200 from 300 in a 10-year management plan released this year.