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Tracking crocs from space

SYDNEY: In what is probably the safest form of crocodile spotting, researchers are monitoring the movements of a 4.2-metre saltwater croc in northern Australia from space.

But here is the risky bit: the Estuarine Crocodile, nicknamed Sputnik after the first satellite to orbit the earth, first had to be captured and fitted with a tracking device.

The project is aimed at studying the reptile's movements over a 12-month period, said Northern Territory Parks and wildlife Minister Marion Scrymgour. The authorities hope the research will teach them more about the large crocodiles that sometimes swim down rivers and into the busy port in the northern city of Darwin.

Researchers from New Zealand's Massey University and Australian wildlife rangers harpooned Sputnik and fitted it with the tracking device on July 13 before releasing him back into the crocodile-infested Adelaide river.

Saltwater crocodiles are among the world's largest reptiles, growing up to 7 m. The species became a protected species in Australia in 1971 after it was nearly wiped out. That protection led to a population surge and there are now an estimated 100,000 saltwater crocs. Sputnik's movements are being monitored by satellite and can be followed on the website www.croctrac.org.nz — AP

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