A four-metre croc is threatening to shut down a renowned Townsville swimming event.
Organisers of the Magnetic Island to Townsville open water swim say the event will be cancelled for the first time in its 61-year history if the croc isn't caught by July 19, a week before the event.
"Unlike the triathlon festival where the field is condensed and they can have extra safety measures in a small area, this event is over 8km ... we are not prepared to take the risks," organising committee member John Barrett has told The Townsville Bulletin.
The crocodile was last spotted on June 7 and authorities continue to carry out weekly surveys in an effort to find it.
Traps have also been set but the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection says the reptile may have died or moved on.
"The physical characteristics, behaviour and movement patterns of this animal have always suggested that it is likely to be sick and without its own territory," a spokeswoman for the department told the paper.
More than 50 competitors from across Australia have registered for the swim.
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