PILBARA Ports has urged mariners and recreational water users to remain vigilant after reports of a crocodile in the Port of Dampier prompted the issue of a local marine notice.
The notice, issued by harbour master Mike Minogue on 10 November, advises that a crocodile approximately two metres long has been sighted at several locations within the port, including Parker Point, Mistaken Island and King Bay.
Port users have been warned to avoid close encounters, maintain a safe distance from shorelines and mangrove areas and exercise caution when launching or retrieving vessels.
The warning also calls on local dive operators to take the sighting into account when conducting operational risk assessments.
Pilbara Ports has requested that any further sightings be reported to Dampier Vessel Traffic Service and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA).
The sighting comes amid increasing crocodile activity reported across parts of northern Western Australia in recent years. While saltwater crocodiles are not considered common in the Pilbara, they have been recorded in the region and are capable of travelling long distances via coastal and estuarine systems.
According to DBCA, 13 crocodile sightings were recorded in the Karratha area between 1984 and early 2023, with three of those reports occurring within a three-month period.
The latest Dampier sighting is not the first crocodile alert issued in the region. In late October, regional authorities warned residents to remain vigilant after a confirmed saltwater crocodile sighting at Parker Point, while beaches in Broome and other Kimberley locations have also experienced temporary closures following crocodile sightings this year.
Further north in the Pilbara, crocodile sightings have occasionally been reported around the Port Hedland district and the De Grey River area. In 2023, local residents reported seeing a crocodile estimated at five to six metres long near De Grey, east of Port Hedland, highlighting the species' continued presence along the north-west coast.
DBCA advises that estuarine crocodiles are highly mobile and no natural waterway within crocodile habitat can ever be considered completely risk-free. Authorities recommend staying well back from the water's edge, keeping pets away from waterways and avoiding swimming in areas where crocodiles have been reported.