Police find human remains inside crocodile in Australia

Canberra: Police discovered human remains in the stomach of a 4.3 metre crocodile in Australia's far north and are conducting DNA tests to identify them, Australian media reported on Tuesday.

The crocodile was captured near the tropical town of Cooktown in northern Queensland state, during a search for a missing 62-year-old man.

Wildlife officers used x-rays and an endoscope to examine the contents of the crocodile's stomach to find and take samples of the remains.

However, the crocodile will not be put down despite the discovery, wildlife officers said.

“As it is an iconic animal, the crocodile will not be harmed or killed. It will not be released back into the wild," a spokeswoman for Queensland's Environment Protection Agency told Australian Associated Press.