Crocodile Found Under Wheelchair Access Ramp at Nursing Home

A crocodile has been found hiding under a wheelchair access ramp at a nursing home in Australia.

Workers at the facility in Ngukurr—a remote Aboriginal community in the country's Northern Territory located on the banks of the Roper River—spotted the reptile, which was estimated to measure more than eight feet in length.

"Roper Gulf Regional Council's Ngukurr Aged Care staff were treated to a surprise visitor this morning," a council Facebook post said. "We think he heard about our impeccable Aged Care service through the grape vine, however it didn't quite meet the age requirement."

The Northern Territory is a global crocodile hotspot, with more of the predators living in the wild there than anywhere else on Earth. The region is home to more than 100,000 saltwater crocodiles, as well as freshwater crocodiles, which are less common.

Australian saltwater crocodiles are the largest and most aggressive of all crocodile species. With males capable of growing to around 20 feet in feet in length, it's the largest living reptile on Earth.

Australian freshwater crocodiles, meanwhile, are smaller—rarely growing larger than 10 feet in length—and they are usually considered to be less aggressive.

The crocodile spotted in the nursing home in Ngukurr was relatively small. After being spotted, it ran and hid under a building on stilts that the wheelchair ramp was attached to.

Authorities closed down the facility—which provides meals and activities for elderly locals—while wildlife rangers tried to remove the surprise visitor.

But the croc's appearance caused quite a stir in the small community, resulting in several people turning up to catch a glimpse of the animal.

"Everyone thought it was very exciting. It was the talk of Ngukurr," Roper Gulf Regional Council spokesperson Cameron Ingham told Australian outlet 7NEWS.

"Most were having a laugh about it. They thought it was quite exciting. I think it might have been one of the few times a crocodile has actually come within the community."

Rangers made several attempts to catch the crocodile while it was hiding under the stilted building but they were unsuccessful.

Eventually, they devised a plan to lure out the reptile by leaving out some pieces of chicken meat. By the following morning, the crocodile had disappeared.

"There are nearby rivers. We had a lot of rain in the previous month, so those rivers got a lot larger than they already were," Ingham said. "As they started to shrink, then the crocodiles have been left behind"

After the incident, the council said in a Facebook post: "The Rangers came by to lure Ngukurr's scaly resident home, so keep an eye out on the streets of Ngukurr today for our chompy friend."

Newsweek has contacted Roper Gulf Regional Council for comment.

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