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A fugitive spent months living in a zoo surviving off stolen bananas from elephants and gorging on the insides of Galapagos tortoises.

Double killer Malcolm Naden was named as one of Australia's most wanted men between 2005 and 2012 after murdering his cousins Kristy Scholes and Lateesha Nolan.

Despite being spotted several times, Naden managed to evade capture while camping out at Dubbo's Western Plains Zoo in New South Wales in 2005.

The incredible story of his survival inside the zoo has now been told in a new book, The Contractor, reports the Daily Mail.

Former abattoir worker Naden lived among the zoo's 1,000 animals for months and originally fooled visitors and staff into believing the mysterious intruder was a homeless man.

Describing strange incidents that took place, staff often came to work with the elephants' feed bags found behind the rhino enclousre and free-to-use BBQs still hot at 5am.

(Image: NSW Police)

(Image: NSW Police)

When Naden, 32 at the time, became increasingly desperate for food, he ripped the head from a Galapagos tortoise and feasted on its insides.

A vet once reported seeing a rugged-looking man bolting from the Giant Tortoise enclosure, before staff discovered the headless body of one of the majestic creatures inside.

The author of The Contractor, known only as 'Mike', documents the incredible story in the book after he was brought in to help investigate the 'homeless' man living amongst the animals.

In another bizarre twist to the tale, Naden had even began using the head of security team's home, located within the grounds.

(Image: NSW Police)

(Image: BBC)

Known only as Roger, the security staff member had noticed food and crockery missing from his home - with his own cleaner reporting occasionally seeing a man using the shower facilities.

According to the book, the mysterious man told the cleaner: "I'm David, Roger's mate from Sydney - I'm staying with him for a few days."

Ten days into the hunt for Naden, Mike found bacon and sausage cooking on a hotplate BBQ inside the zoo.

Naden eventually came face to face with those hunting him just days later after setting of an alarm trap late at night.

Despite this, once again the fugitive escaped into the wilderness of the zoo to continue his bizarre hid-out.

(Image: NSW Police)

The following day, zoo officials reported the sighting to police, who came to take fingerprints from Roger's home after hearing from the cleaner of an alleged friend she had seen there.

Forensics showed Naden had been eating, showering and even living in the ceiling of the security hut.

Heavily armed police were even brought in to patrol the zoo for two days when it was shut down in a desperate bid to catch the 32-year-old loner.

But once again he evaded capture, forcing staff to continue their work while the odd incidents and sightings continued.

(Image: NSW Police)

(Image: NSW Police)

Eventually, Naden moved on.

In December 2011, the killer shot a police officer before being captured in March 2012.

The following year, he pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and was sentenced to life in jail.

The Contractor is published on July 25 by Macmillan Australia for $29.99 - around £18.