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Authorities have killed a two-metre crocodile at a popular tourist spot in the Whitsunday Islands after seven sightings in two weeks.
Readers are advised this article includes an image some may find distressing.
Kit Todd, a Department of Environment officer involved in a search for the reptile, said it was found in mangroves at Nara Inlet, Hook Island, a spot popular with tourists and boat users.
She said the crocodile was euthanased from the boat.
"We humanely euthanased it because of the public safety aspect of where the location was," Ms Todd said.
"The animal did have an empty stomach, so it likely was very hungry."
Located 30 kilometres off the Queensland coast, Hook Island is a popular snorkel spot for tourists. (Supplied: Tourism Whitsundays)
The male crocodile had been seen swimming around Nara Inlet, across the north end of Hook Island and in the marina at Hayman Island.
Wildlife officers and marine park rangers started a spotlight search on Thursday evening and returned at about 1am.
Earlier, the Department of Environment had said it would assess the crocodile before deciding on its possible removal.
Wildlife officers and marine park rangers euthanased the crocodile overnight. (Supplied: Queensland Department of Environment.)
The decision to euthanase the animal was made before the team headed out, Ms Todd said.
"Every sighting is treated individually, every sighting is assessed based on the size, the location and the behaviour of the animal," she said.
"Usually the step we would take would be to capture it first but ocean-dwelling crocodiles are much harder to capture in the ocean."
Crocodile disposed in the ocean
The crocodile was disposed of at sea, in line with the wishes of the traditional owners of the land.
Ms Todd said visitors to the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays should still be aware that crocodiles could be around.
"Crocodiles do occur around those islands, not all the time but they can be there," she said.
"It's everyone's responsibility to be croc-wise in croc country."
'Unusual' decision
Rockhampton crocodile farmer John Lever said the decision to kill a crocodile after sightings alone was "unusual".
He said there had not been any crocodiles euthanased by the Department of Environment in his community.
The male crocodile euthanised overnight measured 2 metres in length. (Supplied: Queensland Department of Environment.)
"It's not the usual procedure," he said.
"Usually there is a very good attempt to capture it, either by trapping or by harpooning or some other means.
"It's unusual to shoot a crocodile just because it's seen in the area, but that's a decision for the authorities."
He said pressure about a possible crocodile attack in the "very public tourist area" may have also influenced the decision.
Mr Lever added that relocating crocodiles from one location to another was a "thing of the past".
"We've known since the early 70s that crocodiles go back to the same area they come from," he said.
"Picking up a crocodile and dumping it in another area just does not work.
"In the modern era, what happens to crocodiles who are caught is they are relocated to a crocodile farm or a zoo or a facility where they're kept behind bars."