Shocking video shows stranded 8-foot crocodile swimming in creek: 'This is a very difficult task indeed'

Intense flooding in the region of Ingham in North Queensland, Australia, brought the arrival of an unexpected visitor. 

Locals found an eight-foot saltwater crocodile wading through the floodwaters, necessitating a rescue operation to return the huge reptile to its natural habitat. 

Footage of the displaced animal captured by Reuters was uploaded to the CNN Instagram account (@cnn). 

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The video detailed how rangers were called to the scene to rescue the stricken animal, using a harpoon to drag it from the surging creek water to the safety of the land. 

They then pinned the crocodile down, secured its powerful jaws, and put the creature in a crate to be transported to a new home. 

Tropical Cyclone Jasper brought months' worth of rain to the area in December, leading some in the town of about 5,000 people to flee their homes, according to Reuters.

In addition to having to contend with the rising waters, residents who remained have had to contend with the loss of power and water shortages, as well as be wary of the increased risk of crocodiles and snakes in the area.

"When the water gets as high as what it's getting there is the opportunity of crocodiles moving," Kiley Hanslow, the CEO of the Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Shire council, told the Guardian. "And so there is a high risk [to] people when walking through water."

Thankfully, the croc was saved, but extreme weather events like these will likely be more intense in the years to come due to rising global temperatures.

"The overall number of tropical cyclones per year has not changed globally but climate change has increased the occurrence of the most intense and destructive storms," World Weather Attribution told Agence France-Presse, as VOA News reported. 

Warmer air in the atmosphere can hold more water, so when hurricanes and cyclones hit land, they typically bring more devastation. 

"A rise in air temperature of three degrees Celsius [5.4 degrees Fahrenheit] can potentially produce a 20% increase in the quantity of rain generated by a cyclonic event," Emmanuel Cloppet from the Meteo France weather office told AFP. 

This just emphasizes the need to reduce global pollution as soon as possible. Planet-warming gases from human-related sources, such as industry, transportation, and food production, contribute to rising temperatures. 

Driving an electric car, walking, or using public transport are all far better for the environment than dirty-fuel-powered personal vehicles, while eating more plant-based foods or growing your own vegetables can also help reduce the gas pollution produced by agriculture.

"To be able to remove that [8-foot] long saltwater crocodile from the stream is nothing short of remarkable," one commenter wrote on Instagram. "This is a very difficult task indeed, especially in a heavy rainfall environment."

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