According to local authorities, a 60-year-old Australian man escaped the jaws of a large crocodile by stabbing it in the head repeatedly with his pocket knife as it dragged him into a river.
The injured guy drove himself to hospital after surviving a harrowing attack on a lonely riverbank in Australia’s far northern Cape York Peninsula, according to the Queensland state environment department.
Last week, the man went fishing on his farm at Hope Vale, about five hours from Cairns, and shooed a bull from the riverside so he could take over.
Then, the crocodile struck.
In a statement, the department said, “He recalled sighting the crocodile seconds before it rushed at him, knocking him over as he was preparing to toss his fishing line.”
As the crocodile’s jaws curled around his boots, he grasped a branch of a mangrove tree in a desperate attempt to keep out of the river. However, he soon lost the tug-of-war and was dragged in.
“As he entered the water, he retrieved his knife from his belt and stabbed the crocodile in the head until it let him go,” the man added.
After that, the man scrambled up the bank and drove to Cooktown Hospital for medical attention. He was then airlifted to Cairns Hospital, where he is still recuperating a week later.
His injuries were consistent with a crocodile assault, according to wildlife officers who interrogated him on Tuesday.
They would not attempt to capture the reptile, which is thought to have been drawn to the region by the presence of the bull, due to its isolated location.
Since they were proclaimed a protected species in 1971, the number of saltwater crocodiles has increased, and recent assaults have reignited discussion about how to regulate them.
The “salties,” which may grow to be seven metres long and weigh more than a tonne, are a familiar sight in the tropical north of the huge continent.
The area is known as “croc country,” and while assaults are common, they are rarely fatal. Residents and visitors are advised to stay away from waterways.
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