If “Shark Week” has made you fearful of jumping into the ocean, you might want to consider the dangers of tromping through the American wetlands. Over the past decade, more people have perished at the mouths of alligators than those of sharks in this country.

Nine people have died from U.S.-based shark attacks, while 13 were mortal victims of alligator attacks, according to statistics from the Florida Museum of Natural History and the fish and wildlife commissions of Florida and Georgia.

Meanwhile, American crocodiles have never killed or even bitten anyone in their native Florida, but they certainly have the chops to do it. Three decades ago, their numbers had dwindled to about 300. Thanks to conservation efforts, they’ve moved off the Endangered Species list and now boast a current population of close to 1,800.

Millions of humans recreate daily in oceans, lakes, canals and marshy areas without ever having to fend off a sharp-toothed attacker, but it’s always good to be aware of potential danger.

An upcoming Discovery Channel program called “Croc Attack” focuses on residents of Darwin, Australia, who learn that changing weather patterns and suburban sprawl are prompting crocs to slide back into areas thought safe for swimming. In one of the worst cases, an 11-year-old girl is eaten by a saltwater croc several miles up a freshwater stream.

So how likely are crocodilian attacks in the Southern United States?

“I think you’re more likely to be killed by a falling vending machine than by an alligator,” scoffed Florida Fish and Wildlife Agent Lindsey Hord, a leading national expert on American alligators and crocodiles.

Asked whether he’d rather die from a falling vending machine or by a crocodilian dragging him to the bottom of a swamp, he promptly responded, “neither.”

But wild animal attacks wouldn’t make such popular TV shows if that primal fear weren’t still so prevalent in humans.

Crocodiles, once prevalent in Darwin, were nearly wiped out by hunters during the first half of the last century. That made it safe for humans to develop the area and enjoy recreational activities along its coastlines and streams.

Similar scenarios took place in Florida during that era. The state’s population exploded with the dawn of air conditioning. Since then, people have flocked to the state for its sunshine, beaches and pristine wetlands, all assets crocodilians can certainly appreciate.

In Darwin, crocodiles are moving back home to find humans encroaching in their old stomping grounds. In Florida, better enforcement of wildlife protection laws and suburban sprawl increase the chances of crossing paths with a croc or gator.

So how do you take precautions to avoid a grisly crocodilian encounter?

By and large, both alligators and crocodiles are opportunists, said Hord. They aren’t likely to go chasing you down on the poolside patio. In fact, when they’re out on land, they generally aren’t looking for prey, Hord said.

However, if either reptile starts hissing or snapping at you, just get out of its way, and if you can’t do that, call 911. Operators can patch you through to a wildlife hotline.

“Certainly an alligator or a croc is going to defend itself, but leave it alone and it’ll return to the water,” Hord said.

“If you make good decisions, then there’s no reason to be irrationally afraid,” he added.

On the rare chance you do find yourself or a loved one clenched in the teeth of a crocodilian, experts say fight with all your might.

“Smack them and punch them in the nose, eyes, and head, and fight them with everything you have,” said Todd Hardwick, owner of the Pesky Critters trapping program. “Most of the time they’ll let go and move off.”

And remember, experts say, crocs and alligators are just trying to do their part for the ecosystem.

“Crocodilians are top-level predators. They keep other populations healthy by stopping them from overpopulating,” said Hord.

via Croc, Gator Attacks Far Outpace Sharks : Discovery News.

A mental health worker has attacked some sections of the commercial media over the reporting of a crocodile attack on a man in the West Australian town of Broome.

Michael Newman survived an attack after breaking into a wildlife park while drunk and trying to sit on the back of a five metre crocodile.

The former chair of the state forensic mental health advisory council, Ken Steel, says he has been appalled by the reporting of the story.

“He’s been named called, he’s had various derogatory terms ascribed to him because of some of his appearance and sometimes because of the action he took,” he said.

“If you go beyond that it is obvious that the man has some sort of problem, he’s not in full control of his faculties.”

Mr Steel says the media should have backed off once the man’s state became clear.

“I’ve been totally appalled by some of the ways this has been done. This is a man with a problem and unfortunately it’s far too easy just to purely and simply put some, what they believe, are comical terms to the issue and it just leaves me cold, quite frankly.”

via Advocate upset at croc reporting – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

BRENDAN TREMBATH: A man who survived a crocodile attack in Broome says he was curious about the animals because they came to him in his dreams.

Michael Newman nearly had his right leg taken off after he climbed into a crocodile enclosure at a wildlife park on Monday night.

The 36-year-old said he wanted to experience something he’d never done before.

David Weber reports.

DAVID WEBER: Michael Newman says that over the past few weeks he’s been having a lot of dreams about crocodiles.

MICHAEL NEWMAN: And the last dream I had was about a crocodile in the water, inside of my dream and he was in the water. He would’ve been like a two-and-a-half metre crocodile in my dream. And I picked up a big stone and a sound come out of the water and said ‘Where do you come from?’ and I threw the stone in the water and the crocodile swum off.

And ever since then I’ve had, um… I’ve had a way of trying to see a real crocodile because I hadn’t ever seen a real crocodile in my lifetime.

DAVID WEBER: Mr Newman says he decided on Monday night after he’d had a few beers that he might go into the wildlife park.

He says he was looking for two crocodiles he’d seen before.

MICHAEL NEWMAN: So I kept on walking around and I seen this really big alligator – the five metre one -over the fence, and he wasn’t far from the fence and I tried putting my hand through the fence to just feel it, the skin, what the skin feels like. So I couldn’t reach it and I thought to myself ‘Well, I’ll jump the fence and go from behind its tail and pat it and sit on its back’.

DAVID WEBER: That decision nearly cost him his life.

Fatso the Crocodile weighs about 800 kilograms.

He did not react well to having a strange man in his pen, as Mr Newman explains.

MICHAEL NEWMAN: Before I even just slightly touched its back, it already had me. It grabbed my leg here. Yeah I got a bandage on and it’s really like severe bites – all the skin here was ripped off and um, put a big hole through the sides of my leg here and I think they stitched it up.

DAVID WEBER: Michael Newman says the crocodile lost interest in him and went for his torch, and this gave him time to climb out of the enclosure.

MICHAEL NEWMAN: Then I’ve jumped the fence, and I kept on walking around in circles trying to get out.

Then I went to another fence and as I grabbed onto the other fence I’m thinking ‘If I climb this one, I’m out of here’, another croc’s come out and gone “ROAR” and I thought ‘Shit, that’s the wrong way out of here’.

And I’m walking and walking and I went past this incubating place, where they’re incubating the crocodile eggs. It was all lit up and they’re making babies in the eggs there. Then I looked over to my left and I seen the city, the lights, and then I remembered the way I got in.

So that way I went out and I climbed out that way and I felt the blood splurting out of my leg and as I’m putting pressure on my leg, I can feel on the side of all my kneecap that it’s all cracked and shattered.

DAVID WEBER: Now he’s been through several drips of antibiotics to combat any potential disease.

Malcolm Douglas, who runs the park, says the man’s lucky to be alive.

MALCOLM DOUGLAS: What can you do?

If someone wants to break into something, wouldn’t matter whether you had, we had triple… Well, we had three lots of fencing, he basically got through, it wouldn’t matter what you did. If you were that sort of person, there’s not a lot you can do about it is there?

They want to do something brave, they want to do something stupid, they want to do something to tell their mates. It would’ve been a shocking way to die and it would’ve been incredibly upsetting for me and our staff and family, and especially the whole of Broome. We don’t want things like this to happen.

DAVID WEBER: Fatso the crocodile is seemingly oblivious to his new-found fame.

BRENDAN TREMBATH: David Weber.

via PM – Man narrowly escapes drunken spree in croc pen 14/07/2010.

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A New Jersey family still recovering from the accidental death of a daughter four years ago is now grieving for a second daughter who was killed in a crocodile attack last week.

Lauren Failla, 25, was attacked by a crocodile on April 29 while on vacation with her boyfriend off India’s Andaman Islands, authorities said.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University who was studying at Sotheby’s Art Institute in London, Failla was snorkeling in the water off Radhanagar Beach when the crocodile attacked. Her boyfriend, who was videotaping the scene, caught the gruesome attack on camera. Failla’s body, which was quickly taken away by the waves, was found on a neighboring beach the next day.

The incident has prompted demands for the Andaman administration to have trained lifeguards on duty in tourist destinations like Radhanagar Beach, which is considered one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

Michael Tran, a U.S. State Department spokesman, said roughly 24 crocodile attacks — four of them fatal — have been reported in the area over the last 25 years. Experts have arrived on the island to help catch the killer crocodile.

“Such an unnecessary death: if there had been proper warnings and statements that there are in fact man-eating crocodiles nearby, I am sure Lauren would not have risked swimming,” Failla’s cousin, Gloria McLean Hiratsuka, wrote to the Daily Record of New Jersey. “She thought she was safe. Her father made a point of saying she was not a big risk-taker, always a little reserved, all the more since her sister’s untimely death four years ago.”

Failla’s older sister, Emily, a 24-year-old teacher, fell to her death while rock-climbing in Washington state in July of 2006. A Family member said the young women’s parents were still mourning their first daughter when Lauren died.

A memorial service was to be held for Lauren on Saturday, with a funeral to be held on May 15.

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A FIVE-year-old girl has been attacked by a crocodile on a Northern Territory beach.

Somehow the young girl survived the attack, which happened yesterday afternoon.

The girl was last night rushed to Gove District Hospital by St John Ambulance.

She was attacked by the saltwater crocodile at a remote outstation on the eastern edge of Arnhem Land.

Police, ambulance and rangers rushed to the beach community of Birany Birany, about 135km south of Nhulunbuy, after the attack was reported about 3.30pm.

Police Superintendent Craig Ryan said the animal was believed to be more than 2m long.

The girl managed to escape the attack, suffering only a deep gash to her leg.

St John Ambulance officer in charge Mark Ferguson was part of the crew that took the girl to hospital last night.

“She went down to the sea to have a little bit of a swim,” he said.

“A crocodile attacked her right thigh, she had some bite marks there. She is in a stable condition in hospital.”

Supt Ryan said the girl was lucky to be alive.

“Any crocodile attack that you survive, you have to count your blessings,” he said.

“The girl was extremely lucky that she only received a minor injury.

“Any croc attack has the potential to be fatal.”

It was not known last night exactly what she was doing at the time of the attack or if she was accompanied by other people.

Supt Ryan warned people not to swim in croc-infested waters.

“People simply have to stay out of waters where there are crocodiles and in Arnhem Land there are plenty of crocodiles – and plenty of big ones.”

The attack comes less than a week after a man was bitten several times by a saltwater crocodile off the Cobourg Peninsula, northeast of Darwin.

The 45-year-old man, who was a commercial trepang diver with the company Tasmanian Seafoods, was attacked near Black Point in Port Essington.

He was dragged back to a boat by his fellow divers who bandaged him, took him to the Black Point ranger station and arranged for him to be flown to Royal Darwin Hospital for treatment.

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A professional fisherman has been attacked by a crocodile while fishing in the Northern Territory.

The 45-year-old man was in the water when he was attacked off the Cobourg Peninsula in Arnhem Land, near Black Point, about 200 kilometres north east of Darwin.

Police said the fisherman was collecting trepang in the water just after noon when the crocodile attacked.

He has suffered injuries to his head and shoulders but they are not life-threatening.

The crocodile is believed to be two to three metres long.

The attack was reported to police and officers from Croker Island rushed to the scene via boat.

The man arrived in a CareFlight helicopter at the Royal Darwin Hospital just after 4:45pm.

He was taken on a stretcher and his head was heavily bandaged along with his right foot.

He was also wearing an oxygen mask and connected to other life-support equipment, with his right hand resting on his forehead.

Cobourg Peninsula senior district ranger Peter Fitzgerald said his officers were contacted about the incident and organised the fisherman’s emergency flight to Darwin.

Mr Fitzgerald said the fisherman was diving in deep water when he was attacked.

“He was attacked by a crocodile a bit over two metres,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“He had gone into the water looking for trepang and his companions got him out of the water, but unfortunately he was bitten a couple of times by this crocodile before they could get him back into the boat again.

“Generally (the fishermen) go in two or three at a time, keeping a lookout for each other, and unfortunately this person was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

He said the area was known for its high crocodile population.

“That whole Top End of the Territory you have got to be aware of crocodiles. Cobourg is no different to anywhere else. There’s a fair population of them in Cobourg,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

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(MYFOX NATIONAL) – A woman who was five months pregnant pulled her husband from the jaws of a crocodile saving his life reports the The Telegraph .

South African couple Lawrence and Kerryn Munro were taking a stroll along the White Umfolzi River on a game reserve 125 miles north of Durban. They stopped to wash their feet in the water and to rest by the shore.

In the next few moments, their quiet afternoon was interrupted by the attack of a nearly ten foot Nile crocodile.

Lawrence Munro said, “It was a matter of seconds. I grabbed hold of the rocks and started kicking the croc with my right foot. He let go and grabbed again, getting hold of both feet. I tried to get to my rifle, but I had been dragged closer to the water and couldn’t reach it. Kerryn grabbed under my arm and around my neck and started pulling. Eventually the croc let go.”

Once she knew her husband was safe, Kerryn Munro rushed for help at the Makhamisa Base Camp.

The Pretoria News of South Africa reports Lawrence Munro said, “After Kerryn left me to fetch help, I tore off my shirt and tried to bandage my feet. I haven’t seen my injuries since.” He was airlifted to a local hospital where doctors repaired tendons in his right foot.

The heroine is still recovering from the ordeal.

Jeff Gaisford, spokesman for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, said, “She’s five months pregnant and a small little thing, so she’s resting after it all. There’s no doubt Lawrence is very lucky – this crocodile would have eaten him, no doubt. A man is meat to a croc.”

Gaisford said that there had recently been quite a few crocodile attacks around the camp. As the winter season approaches for South Africa, he says that crocodiles bulk up by eating more reports The Telegraph .

Lawrence Munro is thankful that his wife was there. He told the Pretoria News , “I am just glad Kerryn was with me and was able to help me get away from the croc. If she hadn’t been there, the ending would have been bad. I am also glad the croc took my feet and not hers, as she was sitting right next to me with her feet in the water.”

Lawrence Munro plans on returning to his job as senior ranger at the camp as soon as he heals.

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KUCHING: It might have been a scene right out of an episode of the popular wildlife series, Animal Planet. Except that this incident was for real.
At the Semada River in Balai Ringin yesterday, a man battled for dear life with his bare hands when he was attacked by a six-metre long crocodile.

Mathias Winston would have become crocodile fodder – had it not been for his quick-thinking to use his thumbs to jab at the man-eater’s eyes!

The 37-year-old lorry driver was bathing at the river about 6.30pm when the crocodile suddenly emerged from the water and attacked him viciously, snapping its jaws shut on his left leg and right hand.

Winston thought he was a goner when the beast was trying to drag him into the depths of the river in the terrifying 10 minutes which ensued.

Luckily, his screams for help attracted the attention of his wife who was cooking at their Kampung Semada Belatok home, not far from the river.
Mira Dehim, also 37, rushed to her husband’s aid and grabbed his hand to pull him to safety, in the process, almost falling into the river as the reptile’s jaws held Winston in a vice-grip.

“Without hesitation, I grabbed my husband’s hand to pull him to safety…but I almost fell into the river as the crocodile was tugging at him.

“It was only when my husband used his thumbs to jab at the crocodile’s eyes, did the reptile let go of his leg and hand and disappear into the river,” she told Bernama today, when met at the Sarawak Hospital where Winston was warded.

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You’d really think they’d stop fishing there. I would.

Harare, Jan 18 – Eight fish poachers have been killed by crocodiles in a major dam in Zimbabwe in the last two weeks, media reports said Sunday.

A ninth victim was severely injured when he was attacked by a crocodile on Lake Chivero outside the capital Harare Saturday, the state-controlled Sunday Mail reported, quoting national park authority spokeswoman Caroline Washaya-Moyo.

The bodies of only two of the eight victims have been found, she said. Wildlife experts say crocodiles seize their prey and store them in underwater hollows, returning to consume them after several days.

Lake Chivero is Harare’s largest water reservoir.

‘These people included men and women and all of them were poachers,’ Washaya-Moyo said. Fellow poachers have not been deterred as they keep returning to the same site.

The poachers wade waist-deep into the water and angle for fish with bamboo rods. A section of the lake controlled by the national park authorities is a favourite spot for poachers from a nearby squatter camp who hawk fish to passing motorists on a nearby main road.

Washaya-Moyo said wildlife authorities were trying to minimise crocodile attacks, but did not give details.

Of all Africa’s species of large mammals and reptiles, hippopotami are regarded as being responsible for the most human deaths, followed by crocodiles.

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Crocodile kills 35-year-old

Statesman News Service 
KENDRAPARA, April 30: In the latest outbreak of man-animal conflict, preying estuarine crocodiles have killed a 35-year-old woman and attacked at least four people in and around the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary. 
It’s pertinent to note here that two adult crocodiles were killed in retaliatory attack by the locals since past two months. 
An adult crocodile pounced on 35-year-old Mrs Rangalata Pati near a creek in Dangmal village killing her instantly. 
Four people including a woman were wounded in Iswarpur, Dangmal and Talchua villages under Rajnagar tehsil as crocodiles straying into village water bodies pounced on them. The injured who sustained multiple wounds are stated to be out of danger, according to Rajnagar block headquarters hospital sources. 
There are official reports of saltwater crocodiles from the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary straying into the Petashala and Kharasrota rivers. 
With the breeding season of crocodiles fast approaching, they have turned restive and perturbed over human interference into their habitat. 
The residents of Gobardhanpur, Naranpur, Arakhadiha, Rajeswarinagar, Chandibaunsamula, Padmanavapur, Iswarpur, Sanagoji, Okilapala and a dozen other seaside villages are thoroughly exposed to possible attack by these crocodiles and accordingly the local sarpanchs and GP representatives have been instructed to alert the villagers, forest department sources said.