Face of Nation : An orthopaedic plate found in the stomach of a crocodile in Queensland could possibly bring closure to the family of a missing person, if the object belonged to a human.
The orthopaedic plate, with six stainless steel screws was inside the 4.7 metre MJ, who died a month ago after a fight with another large crocodile at Koorana Crocodile Farm near Rockhampton. Farm workers cut open his gut to try and establish a cause of death when the approximately 10cm-long metal object was found.
They have been told the Swiss-made plate is “quite an old model”, manager John Lever said, but an identification code has worn off due to stomach acidity. “It could have been used in a pet or in human surgery, we don’t know,” he said. “It could have been in the crocodile’s stomach for 45, 50 years.”
The investigation involves information from social media users and medicos but police are not yet involved, Mr Lever said. Koorana Crocodile Farm originally posted the grisly discovery to their Facebook, quickly gathering more than 100 comments and shares.
“Imagine our surprise when we opened up the gut on this large croc and found what looks to be an orthopaedic plate,” it reads. “Recently MJ passed away and in order to find a cause of death we opened up his gut to find the plate in among numerous stones he used as gastroliths to help grind up food.
“So what has MJ been up to? “He was a wild caught croc from Queensland that we purchased from another farm years ago. No staff and no pets are missing here! So, for now it’s a mystery…
“Regardless, he should have been eaten something with more nutritional value!” Commenters on the post speculated the beast had been chewing on someone, or something that had surgery. “Not just the plate the screws are there too — looks like MJ has been chewing on someone or something with bone work,” John Gerring wrote.
Annie Mac said: “Maybe he’s been chewing on some surgical waste that was illegally dumped. I would hate to think otherwise.” The croc had been at the farm around six years after being bought from another farm in north Queensland. Mr Lever is unaware of its prior habitat in the wild but inquiries are being made with the original farm. He said his instinct was the plate belonged to a human.
