A man has been bitten by a saltwater crocodile he was trying to save in a far north Queensland cane paddock, about 400 metres above sea level.

Daryl Bell, a cane harvester, was attempting to move the animal on the farm in Mareeba west of Cairns, when the 1.4-metre reptile sunk its teeth right through his thumbnail and finger.

It had been badly burnt in a cane fire on Saturday and Mr Bell was wanting to move it away from a cane harvesting machine.

Its skin was coming off in Mr Bell's hand when he touched it.

"I felt sorry for the croc ... I had no intention of hurting it," he said.

The crocodile sunk its teeth through Mr Bell's thumbnail and finger. ( Supplied: Cass Craven )

The croc's jaws had to be prised open by another worker, Bruce Craven, to free Mr Bell, who was then taken to hospital.

After wrapping it in wet towels, Mr Craven called the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection to ask what they should do.

What happened next has angered both of the men.

Mr Bell (left) and Mr Craven alongside the irrigation channel where several crocodiles have been seen. ( Supplied: William Bensted )

"It took more than two hours to get anyone on the phone and when we did speak to someone, they told us to take it to a vet so it could be euthanased," Mr Craven said.

"So that's what we did."

Bizarre place for saltwater crocodile

Mareeba is not considered crocodile country, it is 60 kilometres from the coast and 400m above sea level.

How the crocodile came to be in the cane paddock remains a mystery, and the ABC has put calls in to the department.

Mr Craven wrapped the crocodile in a towel before it was taken to the vet. ( Supplied: Cass Craven )

It is the first time the men have come across a crocodile in a cane paddock.

"They are not supposed to be on the Atherton Tablelands," Mr Craven said.

"Children ride bikes along this road, next to the irrigation channel, where the crocs must live.

"I'd say he's been chased out of a river system by a bigger croc and has ended up where he has."

Katter's Australian Party (KAP) has threatened to block the budget if the State Government does not support its proposed crocodile management laws for north Queensland.