'I thought it was a goanna': Photographer stumbles upon croc at Melbourne park

A nature photographer who was birdwatching at a park in Melbourne's east made an unlikely discovery when he stumbled across the body of a one metre freshwater crocodile.

Andrew Wallis found the body of the croc at Ruffey Lake Park in Doncaster yesterday afternoon.

While it may have been dumped, Mr Wallis said he suspected someone had kept the croc as a pet before deciding to release it.

"It's possible whoever had the crocodile thought it was looking a bit under the weather and thought it would be better off in the wild," he told News Corp.

"I thought it was a goanna at first."

Department of Environment and Primary Industries program manager Bryan Welch said DEPI had been contacted following the bizarre discovery.

"DEPI Wildlife Officers have been in contact with Manningham Council staff who have recovered it," he said.

"Given Victoria's cooler climate, crocodiles do not occur in the wild here."

DEPI encourages anyone with information to call 136 186.