A man bitten by a crocodile at a golf resort in Australia; taken to the hospital in a stable condition

Crocodiles are a common sight on golf courses in Australia

A golfer suffered two puncture wounds on his left calf on Monday after he was bitten by a 4-foot saltwater crocodile while playing at the Palmer Sea Reef Golf Course in the Australian tourist town of Port Douglas on Queensland’s state Great Barrier Reef, Police Senior Sergeant James Coate told Australian Broadcasting Corporation(ABC).

“He landed his ball near the water and as he's done that he disturbed a ... crocodile," Coate told ABC.

"When he went up to the crocodile, it's bitten him," he added.

Coate also said that the reptile had been lurking in the waterway on the 11^th hole. He added that the man was taken to the Mossman hospital in a stable condition.

Crocodiles are a common sight on golf courses in Australia and signs, alarming golfers of their presence are also seen on the course. The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection will try and catch the crocodile so that it can be relocated to a zoo or a crocodile farm. Crocodiles are a protected species under Australian law.

The owner of the resort, Clive Palmer posted a couple of tweets on his Twitter handle, with reference to the incident.

I would like to wish the well-known local man who was attacked by a crocodile in Port Douglas this afternoon a speedy recovery.

— Clive Palmer (@CliveFPalmer) April 13, 2015

Crocodile has been removed from all menus at Palmer properties following today's incident with a member of our Port Douglas Golf Course

— Clive Palmer (@CliveFPalmer) April 13, 2015