Police are investigating after a crocodile carcass was discovered in Far North Queensland.
There are fears the 40-year-old female was targeted and deliberately killed.
The partial remains of a salt water crocodile were found beside a tourist operator vessel moored on the bank of the Daintree River on May 18.
The tour operator told police he had received an anonymous call from a man claiming he had killed the animal.
Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science (DES) said the anonymous caller had also claimed to have “killed a decapitated crocodile found on the beach at Cow Bay in April.
The Daintree River crocodile is estimated to be a 40-year-old female that was last seen alive on a week before the tourism operator found its body.
DES says in Queensland it is illegal to deliberately harm or kill crocodiles or to be in possession of a deceased crocodile or parts of one.
The maximum penalty for the deliberate harm or killing of crocodiles in Queensland is $32,243.
Only one crocodile attack has been recorded in Queensland this year, with a non-fatal attack being recorded on the Cape York Peninsula in February.