A video posted on social media showed the juvenile carnivore lying on the bottom of the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas, Queensland. - Screengrab from KELLERDIARIES/TIKTOK via ST/ANN
SYDNEY: A crocodile took a dip in a luxury hotel pool in north-eastern Australia this weekend but failed to stir guests relaxing in the sun a few steps away.
Video posted on social media showed the juvenile carnivore lying on the bottom of the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas.
"I don't want to alarm anyone but there is a crocodile in the Sheraton pool," TikTok user Lisa Keller said in a video showing the scaly predator.
A handful of tourists could be seen taking it easy on sun lounges around the edge of the pool, though none ventured into the water.
"Not a single person cares," Keller said.
The video matched images of the pool on the hotel's website.
Hotel manager Joseph Amerio said the crocodile was spotted early Saturday morning (Oct 18) and the pool was cordoned off until Queensland state wildlife officers removed it in the afternoon.
"At no time were guests and the baby animal in the pool at the same time," he told AFP.
State wildlife rangers "rehomed" the animal, and put up crocodile warning signs in the area, an environment department spokesperson said.
It was not immediately clear whether the hotel visitor was a saltwater or less aggressive freshwater crocodile.
More than 100,000 saltwater and freshwater crocodiles are estimated to be living across northern Australia. - AFP
