People are entering crocodile habitats for content. Bob Irwin is pushing to stop it

The father of the late Steve Irwin is leading a push to penalise those who enter crocodile habitats for the sake of social media posts.

Bob Irwin wants the Queensland government to prevent social media users entering crocodile habitats Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts

Key Points

• Bob Irwin wants a loophole that allows social media users to enter crocodile habitats for content closed.
• The proposed changes would create penalties for people who disturb crocodiles for the purpose of social media.
• He has engaged the Environmental Defenders Office to draft amendments to Queensland's Nature Conservation Act.

Conservationist Bob Irwin is calling on the Queensland government to close a loophole allowing social media users to enter crocodile habitats for content.

The proposed changes would create an offence for those who recklessly use a crocodile habitat, along with penalties for people who disturb crocs for the purpose of social media.

Mr Irwin, father of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, has engaged the Environmental Defenders Office to draw up the amendments to the Nature Conservation Act.

He said the social media content creators were only endangering themselves and the crocodiles by entering the habitats.

"The government says idiots like these are not breaking any laws. Well, I say, change the law!" Mr Irwin said in a statement.

Bob Irwin's proposed changes would create an offence for those who recklessly use a crocodile habitat, along with penalties for people who disturb crocs for the purpose of social media. Source: AAP / Mike Darcy/PR Image

More than 40 traditional owners, conservationists, scientists, business owners and community members have backed the changes.

It comes a month after a Queensland man was fined $12,000 for illegally catching freshwater crocs in the hope of becoming a social media star.

In February, a 4.2 metre crocodile was shot dead by wildlife officers after it attacked a man and ate a dog in far north Queensland.

The man had been swimming at Bloomfield River, a well-known crocodile habitat.

Traditional owner Kathleen Walker said the actions of reckless people were tarnishing the reputation of otherwise safe communities.

"We support the Environmental Defenders Office's recommendations in the name of creating greater protection for our totem animal, the saltwater crocodile, when human error is involved," the Wujal Wujal woman said.

"We would like to see a no-tolerance approach to members of the public who take the risk in crocodile territory and for greater mitigation measures to be legislated."