Crocodile spotted near Olympic rowing course in Australia — Der Spiegel

In Australia, a saltwater crocodile more than three metres long has been spotted near the planned venue for rowing competitions at the 2032 Olympics. The animal was seen last weekend on the grounds of the North Rockhampton Golf Club, a few kilometres from the Fitzroy River, where rowing and kayak and canoe competitions are due to take place.

As Der Spiegel reports, this is already the fourth report of crocodiles appearing in the region since mid-September. The Fitzroy River is home to a large number of saltwater crocodiles.

Debate over course safety

The reptile's appearance has sparked fresh controversy over the safety of the Olympic venue in Rockhampton. Ray Ebert, a long-serving senior official at the Australian rowing federation Rowing Australia, called the incident a shock and a warning for those responsible for preparing the Games. According to him, the greatest concern is not the crocodiles that can be seen, but those that cannot be seen.

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Queensland Premier David Crisafulli defended the choice of Rockhampton as an Olympic venue. He said that the city has many years of experience in hosting competitions and a first-class sports facility.

Review and demand to publish findings

Queensland's environmental department is examining reports of the crocodile. Experts are to assess the animal's behaviour and determine whether it needs to be captured and removed. Reptile expert John Lever, who runs a crocodile farm near Rockhampton, called for all crocodiles near the planned Olympic course to be captured.

State opposition leader Steven Miles called for the publication of the independent technical assessment cited by the authorities when selecting the venue. In his view, the document should explain how crocodile-related risks will be controlled during the Games. More than 500 rowers, including Australian Olympic champion Drew Ginn, had previously supported moving the competitions to another venue in south-east Queensland in an open letter. Among the reasons for concern, they cited strong currents, frequent flooding and significant volumes of sediment in the river.