A 69-year-old man has been charged with taking a protected animal following an investigation into the alleged killing of a three-metre crocodile in far north Queensland.

Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol officers discovered the estuarine crocodile dead and attached to a trap in Sorenson Creek, south of Cairns, on January 18.

Cameras were then set up to surveil of the area.

Just hours later, police will allege vision from the area captured the 69-year-old man attending the creek and removing the crocodile carcass from the trap.

Detectives executed a search warrant at a Deeral property on Wednesday, where they uncovered a crocodile's carcass.

The 69-year-old man was charged with one count of taking a protected animal and is due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on February 7.

Police found this crocodile's head during the search of a property at Deeral. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

Police will allege the man set the trap.

Department of Environment and Science (DES) wildlife management director Lindsay Delzoppo said it was an offence to take a crocodile in Queensland without authority.

"In Queensland, estuarine crocodiles are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and the maximum penalty for the unlawful killing of a crocodile is $28,383," Mr Delzoppo said.

"Crocodiles hold significant cultural and economic value for communities in northern and far north Queensland.

"They also play an important ecological role as a predator at the top of the food chain.

"DES takes wildlife offences like the unlawful taking of crocodiles seriously and members of the public are encouraged to report suspected incidents of wildlife-related crime to the department."