Australian man, 60, uses pocket knife to fight off crocodile | Inquirer News

Australian man, 60, uses pocket knife to fight off crocodile

/ 10:59 AM November 10, 2021

crocodile

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BRISBANE, Australia — A 60-year-old Australian man escaped the jaws of a large crocodile by stabbing it repeatedly in the head with his pocket knife as it dragged him into a river, local authorities said Wednesday.

After surviving the terrifying attack at a remote riverbank in Australia’s far northern Cape York Peninsula, the injured man drove himself to hospital, the Queensland state environment department said.

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The man had gone fishing on his property last week near Hope Vale, about five hours’ drive from Cairns, and shooed away a bull from the riverbank so he could take over the spot.

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Then, the crocodile struck.

“He described seeing the crocodile seconds before it lunged at him, knocking him over as he was about to cast his fishing rod,” the department said in a statement.

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He grabbed onto the branch of a mangrove tree in a desperate attempt to stay out of the river as the crocodile’s jaws wrapped around his boots. But he quickly lost the tug-of-war and was pulled in.

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“The man said that as he entered the water, he managed to retrieve his knife from his belt and stabbed the crocodile in its head until it let him go.”

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The man then scrambled up the bank and drove to Cooktown Hospital for treatment. He was later flown to Cairns Hospital, where he is still recovering a week later.

Wildlife officers who interviewed him Tuesday confirmed that his injuries were consistent with a crocodile attack.

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They would not attempt to capture the reptile — which was believed to be attracted to the area by the presence of the bull — because it is too remote.

Saltwater crocodile numbers have exploded since they were declared a protected species in 1971, with recent attacks reigniting debate about controlling them.

The “salties”, which can grow up to seven meters long and weigh more than a ton, are a common feature of the vast continent’s tropical north.

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Known as “croc country”, the area sees attacks relatively frequently but they are rarely fatal, with locals and visitors warned to keep their distance from waterways.

/MUF
TAGS: Animal, Australia, Crocodile

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