Australia's Northern Territory Police have started investigation to find four perpetrators, who dumped three female crocodiles into an Australia school on Sunday (21 August). The three injured saltwater reptiles were set loose in the school by the men. The territory police have also called for public assistance to identify men who were captured in the school's CCTV camera.

According to reports, four men still to be identified breached into Taminmin College at Humpty Doo on Sunday early morning to loot the place. They dumped the female crocodiles with mouths taped up into the school premises and then entered the building with their heads covered.

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"CCTV footage shows three saltwater crocodiles forced into the main office. Police are appealing to the public for information as to the identity of the offenders," Senior Constable David Gregory said a public statement.

The reptiles were later held with the help of a ranger. "The ranger that turned up was very concerned for them — they had their mouths taped up. They haven't seen water for a long time and are undernourished," Gregory said on Monday and added that the largest of the three crocodiles was two meters long.

"Basically skin and bones, not much meat left on them; they were really quiet and easy to catch," Ranger Luke McLaren said mentioning poor health of the reptiles.

Crocodiles
Three female saltwater crocodiles were dumped at a school by unidentified men on Sunday (Representational image) Getty

"Really poor skin condition, like they haven't been kept in water for quite a while, hasn't been fed, and one of them looked to be blind [as a result of neglect]. We'll determine what farm they're from and we'll try to take them back to that farm but looking at their condition it's likely they'll have to be destroyed," McLaren added.

According to reports, affecting or interfering with saltwater crocodiles — the protected species of the country — is illegal in Australia. Guilty ones snooping into the lives of protected wildlife animals have to pay fines of up to $77,000 (£59,000, €68,000) or a jail term of up to five years.

Australia