A giant saltwater crocodile that terrorised a village in northern Australia was killed and eaten by locals during a traditional festival. The 3.63-metre crocodile moved into Baines River, 250m from residences, following floods earlier this year and had been stalking and lunging out of the water at children and adults. The crocodile had also reportedly taken multiple community dogs.

After talking to elders and traditional landowners in the Aboriginal community, police shot and killed the scaly predator on Tuesday.

”In consultation with Traditional Owners, Elders, community members and Parks and Wildlife, the crocodile was shot to ensure that it did not continue to pose a significant risk to the community. An opportunistic crocodile safety session was conducted by Parks and Wildlife with the children giving them an up-close look at the dangers within our waterways,” Northern Territory police said in a statement.

Once the crocodile was dead, it was transported to the nearby Aboriginal community where the massive reptile was prepared for a feast in the traditional manner.

Speaking to public broadcaster ABC, Northern Territory Police Sergeant Andrew McBride said the animal was ”cooked up into crocodile tail soup, he was on the barbecue, a few of the pieces were wrapped up in banana leaves and cooked underground.”

”It was a rather large traditional feast and there were a few full bellies,” Sergeant McBride added. 

Commander Kylie Anderson said, ”Crocodiles can pose a significant risk to community safety. Thanks to the seamless collaboration between Parks and Wildlife, our remote police staff and residents we were able to safely remove the large saltie and maintain the safety of the community. There’s never a dull moment in remote policing.”

The Northern Territory has seen an increased presence of crocodiles, especially in its western regions, following the recent flooding. The flooding had displaced many crocodiles, causing them to appear in unusual locations. 

“Just the immense amount of water that came into the area, crocodiles are popping up in locations you wouldn’t normally see them,” Sergeant McBride explained. 

Saltwater crocodiles can grow to six metres (20 feet), weigh up to a ton and ”will eat just about anything.”