A man fought a crocodile with a knife as it held his friend’s head in its jaws during an attack in Australia.
The men were on a fishing vessel in Cyclone Creek in the Kimberly region of Western Australia on October 17 when the attack occurred, a spokesperson for Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures told 7News.
The two men were crew members of a tour operator and were not showing guests around the area at the time of the incident. One man was bitten on the head by the predator while the other attempted to rescue him, an eyewitness to the incident told 7News.
According to the witness, the crocodile “grabbed one of them by the head” and [the man’s] mate […] grabbed a knife and stabbed this croc with a knife.”
Rick Shine, a biologist and professor at the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University told Newsweek that the crocodile responsible may have been a “particularly bold” individual.
“Crocodiles are smart, they are quick learners, and each individual has its own personality—just like a dog or a cat. So if a particularly bold crocodile lives somewhere where it encounters a lot of boats with people fishing, the animal may realize that taking a struggling fish off the line, or as it is lifted into the boat, is easier than finding and catching its own fish,” Shine said.
It is not clear what species of crocodile attacked the men, but the area is home to saltwater and freshwater crocodiles. Freshwater crocodiles are thought to be less aggressive than their saltwater relatives. Saltwater crocodiles are known for being more territorial and can become aggressive when they feel threatened, but attacks remain rare.
While saltwater crocodiles are more prone to attacking, their freshwater cousins usually leave humans alone unless directly provoked.
“Over time, such an animal can become even bolder, eventually raising the chances of an unfortunate encounter with a human hand rather than a slippery fish.”
The two men were airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment and are stable, the WA Country Health Service told 7News.
Saltwater crocodiles can grow up to around 20 feet long and weigh over 1,000lbs. There are estimated to be around 100,000 saltwater crocodiles in Australia. Attacks are rare, with one to two fatal encounters per year, on average.
According to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, a saltwater crocodile had been observed launching itself towards boats in the same location.
It has not been confirmed whether it is the same crocodile responsible for the attack but according to the department, it is a similar size.
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