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Last Update: Friday, September 30, 2005. 11:59am (AEST)

Diver dead: A large crocodile was sighted in the area. (ABC TV)

Croc attack victim named
A 56-year-old aquarium fish diver has been identified as the victim of a crocodile attack on the Coburg Peninsula, about 150 kilometres north-east of Darwin.

Russell Butel from the Darwin-based company Aquatica North Australia was diving for aquarium fish in Trepang Bay when he went missing at midday yesterday.

His diving partner raised the alarm when he saw a four-metre crocodile in the area and police say Mr Butel's body showed signs of crocodile attack when it was found early in the evening.

A dive operator working on the Coburg Peninsula says saltwater crocodiles have become less afraid of humans in recent years and a cull is needed.

Sascha Muller from Coral Divers says he is constantly fearful of attack when diving in the area and the crocodile population can withstand a drop in numbers.

"The crocodile is so large and they've grown so big in the time that they don't recognise fear and it wouldn't take long with a culling program in place for crocodiles to start to develop fear and I think things would change dramatically," he said.

"They're not really that endangered. There's quite a few of them around."

The Parks and Wildlife Service says rangers have spotted at least a dozen large saltwater crocodiles in the area but no-one can afford to be complacent if they are swimming in any waterway in the Top End.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200509/s1471846.htm

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