Man Hits Croc to Save Mate

A TERRITORY man miraculously survived a croc attack after his mate punched the massive saltie.

The NT News received several reports, saying the man was at the water's edge when the saltie - believed to be up to 4m long - launched at him and grabbed his leg.

The newspaper was told the man had been shooting in the Adelaide River region and went down to the water to wash off his dogs when he was attacked.

The paper has been told the croc appeared from its hidden vantage point underwater and tried to drag the man into the river.

But Royal Darwin Hospital told the NT News they were aware of the patient who had been admitted to the hospital before being released a few days later. The Territory Health Department said they had no legal obligation to inform the public when a croc attack happened.

"And no information is released if a patient has requested privacy," a department statement said.

The incident comes only six months after two similar attacks where the victims also miraculously survived.

The NT News reported on March 22 how a five-year-old girl was attacked by a crocodile in the beach community of Birany Birany - about 135km south of Nhulunbuy.

But the little girl managed to escape the attack, suffering only a deep gash to her right thigh.

And less than a week earlier, a man was reportedly bitten several times by a saltwater crocodile off the Cobourg Peninsular, 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 Black Point ranger station and arranged for him to be flown to Royal Darwin Hospital for treatment.

A good and fortunate ending. One problem with the story - there is no way that crocodile was 4 meters. Impossible! the croc was probably an immature 6 footer that messed up. I've seen a lot of crocodiles, all of them Nile crocodiles (a relative of the Aussie Saltie that is found in Africa, and has a killer record that not even the Saltie or the Indian Mugger can come close to matching). I've seen most sizes of Nile, from holding hatchlings in my hands, to bigger ones (there is even a LARGE man-eater called Big Daddy that is held by a crocodile farm in mombasa Kenya). Nile crocodiles are number two on the big size list (the largest I've seen was probably 16 feet, but they can grow to slightly over 20 feet). Aussie Salties, on the other hand, are the largest crocs in the world (although I am sure there are some Niles in Africa and some muggers in India that can compete on an individual basis).

Back to the story - no way that croc was 4 meters. A 13 footer is a MONSTER. Sure, it is not a monster in the same league as a 21 footer (now, that is something from a horror movie, because - unlike snakes - crocs do not only get long but also get large). A 13 footer would not even need to do a death roll (and many crocodiles do that, and if you are caught in a deathroll it is not a good thing) ....the sheer impact of the ambush would be tremendous. I have SEEN Nile crocodiles ambush an adult wildebeest (the size of a cow), and with a toss of the head throw it over the croc's back into the river. Those were 11-14 foot crocs. Yet a 13 footer simply 'grabs' the leg of the person in the story? Also ...the whole 'grabbed the leg' makes no sense. Anyone who knows croc sizes knows the maw of a 13 foot croc would instantly crush the legs ....it would take a much smaller crocodile to simply 'grab A leg.' Here is a picture of a killer Nile crocodile that was killed (in a fullisade of AK bullets) ....do you really see an Aussie that size 'grabbing A leg?'

Here are pictures of two other crocs (these ones Aussies). They are larger than 14 meters (and the last one is a pic of Gomek, who was a TRUE monster ...you should see one of him 'standing'). Anyways, I am glad the person made it, but I am certain it was not a 13 footer that attacked him. Probably an entreprenuering 6 footer. 13 footers have been alive for a couple of decades, they have near-perfect ambush experience, and the level of strength and speed they bring to bear is, simply put, prodigious. He was not attacked by a 4m croc. It was probably a 2m croc.

Yup - Gomek was huge. Makes one wonder what other cousins of his are laying in the still waters of some estuary in Australia or river in Africa.

By the way, just re-read the story and I have gone from 100% sure it was not a 4m croc, to 200% sure. The article states that the croc TRIED to drag him into the water, and that his friend rushed in and STRUGGLED with the croc before PUNCHING the critter. Well, I know (as in, read in the paper) of some people who have survived croc hits (including a lady who had a nasty experience with a Nile while fetching water), but all of them were against crocs around 7 feet long. You do not 'struggle' with a 13 footer. It does not 'try' to drag you into the river.

This is a big fish tale.

I do not doubt the guy was attacked by a crocodilian, but it wasn't a big monstet Saltie. It might have been a 7 foot Freshwater croc, or maybe a juvie Saltie ....but it was not anywhere CLOSE to 13 feet. Even if they shot a 13 foot croc tomorrow in the vicinity, that would be the wrong perp. Against a croc that size - you die. No questions. The only way you can survive is if it misses, but if it gets you it's over. Also, it will not be getting 'a leg.' More like your upper torso before - effortlessly - tossing you into the water, doing a deathroll, or with all the time in the world moving back with you slowly into the water.

If it was infact a 13 footer, and they struggled with it and punched it, then we now know the alter egos of Superman and Shazam!

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