Caiman crocodilus. Tomistoma schlegelii. Crocodylus suchus. Crocodylus johnstoni. Figure 1: CrocBITE data showing trends in recorded attacks by the seven species of crocodilian responsible for most reported attacks over the period Reporting is variable, and in some cases the marked increases e. Crocodylus porosus and C. The relative proportion of attacks is likely accurate. Most C. The erratic C. It is similarly challenging to assess trend data for C.
We see some expected as well as some interesting trends when we look at the proportion of fatal to nonfatal attacks by each species.
Larger crocodilians e. Recovering species such as C. Size isn't everything, though: A. Figure 2: Fatal and non-fatal attacks on humans by C. There is also variability with species, with C.
Figure 3: Fatal and non-fatal attacks on humans by C. Figure 4: Fatal and non-fatal attacks on humans by A. Busting some Myths about Crocodile Attacks.
Mass attack on Ramree Island? Only 20 Japanese soldiers allegedly escaped alive from the saltwater crocodiles in the swamp. Although this story is widely shared in the media, Platt et al. Crocodiles cannot bite underwater Not true! They are therefore quite capable of biting and holding onto prey underwater.
Crocodilians are best evaded on land by running in zigzag fashion Not true — though if you advise your companions to do so, this may give you a head-start! However, crocodilians in predatory-mode can emerge from the water extremely fast and without warning. Their legs and momentum will often see them cover short distances on land very quickly.
So, forget the zig-zag nonsense and just stay well away from the water's edge. In thicker, muddy substrates, even large crocodilians can move faster than you! There are no rules on this, but it seems self-evident that an animal classified in this way should have hunted, caught and eaten several humans, ie to appear to be making a habit of it.
Arguably, for large crocodilians that eat large prey regularly, humans are just another prey item. That said, some individual crocodiles appear to have learned to hunt people in places where they repeatedly perform certain activities like washing, swimming or crossing.
Crocodilians can also launch themselves vertically from the water. Don't stand on docks or low bridges over water, or lean over the side of boats or hang from trees over infested waters. Never approach an alligator or crocodile nest. If you spot baby crocodilians or a nest, leave the area as quickly and quietly as you can. Mother crocodilians will defend their young fearlessly and must not be provoked. Occasionally crocodilians wander into populated areas, especially when people live very close to the water.
If you encounter a crocodilian in your backyard, pool, etc. If you fall into water where crocodilians live, remain calm. Splashing around and shouting attracts attention from crocodilians and may incite them to attack. Swim or wade to the shore as quickly, quietly and calmly as you can, preferably staying below the water's surface to avoid splashing. If you spot a crocodilian on land, stay calm and depart the area slowly.
Do not try to approach the animal, attack it, or try to move it. If you spot one of these animals in a populated area, such as a backyard or parking lot, first get to a safe distance from the animal and then call local wildlife authorities to have it removed. If a crocodilian snaps or charges at you on land, RUN.
Should you accidentally happen upon an alligator or crocodile, or if one begins to move towards you, run away from the animal as quickly as you can. As fast as they are in the water, the top land speed for a crocodilian is only 17kmh 10 mph , a speed that most humans can surpass over short distances. Forget the conventional wisdom about running in a zig-zag pattern to escape; the quickest way to escape an alligator or crocodile is in a straight line.
This is because humans and other animals run faster in straight lines. Part 3. Do your best to stay calm and fight back strategically.
While the very notion of remaining calm during an animal attack may seem preposterous, doing so may be the only thing that saves your life. Don't wait or try to attack it, just run away as quickly as you can.
If the animal seizes hold of you, however, it will likely try to drag you into the water. In this case, you will need to attack it until it lets go. Attack the animal's eyes.
The eyes of the crocodilian are its most vulnerable part, and several croc-attack survivors have reported eye-gouging as their salvation.
Attempt to gouge, kick, or poke the animal in the eye with your hands or whatever you can grab. Don't give up until you are free, you are literally fighting for your life.
Attack the animal's head. If you land as many blows as possible on the animal's head, you stand a higher chance that it will let go. Bystanders observing a crocodilian attack can assist by striking at the animal with sticks, poles, oars, etc. Attack the palatal valve behind the animal's tongue. Crocodilians have a flap of tissue behind the tongue that covers their throats when they submerge in water. This flap prevents water from flowing into their throats and prevents the crocodile from drowning when its mouth is open.
If the animal has dragged you under the water, grabbing hold of this valve may be your only choice. Once you get hold of the valve, it will cause water to flow into the crocodile's throat, forcing it to release you. Hard strikes to this valve may also cause the animal to release you. Seek medical attention immediately.
Not only do crocodilian attacks tend to cause a lot of tissue damage and blood loss, they can also quickly lead to infection.
These animals harbor a massive amount of bacteria in their mouths, and even a minor bite from a small alligator or caiman can quickly lead to infection if not treated right away. Can I push down on a crocodile's upper jaw if I spot it slowly coming towards me? I heard somewhere that crocodiles have weak jaw-raising muscles, is this true?
If a crocodile is approaching you, it's best to back away. They indeed do have very weak jaw opening muscles, but the muscles for closing their jaws are very strong, so be careful. They can also still attack you with their actual bodies.
Not Helpful 13 Helpful She had tooth marks across her chest and was staring at a massive crocodile. Then it sank beneath the surface, out of sight.
She screamed bloody murder, waking up the entire camp. Either way, it was probably the best ending to a terrifying situation. The visiting researchers at this site now pay attention to those signs, and nobody swims in the Panama canal anymore!
When I heard that story, it reinforced my already healthy fear of crocs. But it just so happens that, in my line of work, I very often find myself in croc country. It was years after the incident, and I was helping a fish biologist put out gill nets to trap fish.
The operation required us snorkeling down 10 feet to install the nets in the croc infested waters of the canal. The idea was that an attack underwater was unlikely. So we came up with a plan. Five guards with guns stood around as we jumped in the water and did our little operation. It did make me think more about croc behavior and the dangers though. In the particular case of crocodiles, I think my fear is probably a good thing because they are one of the few animals that do actively hunt humans if given the opportunity.
From a safety standpoint, that is by far the best way to view them. At the same time, they are amazing creatures in their own right. Crocodiles are top predators in their ecosystem. I would never advocate for their complete removal from an ecosystem. Human prey are drowned in death rolls or torn to pieces - with their remains later cut out of the reptiles' stomachs - as can be seen in the world's deadliest croc attacks.
The remains of a fourteen-year-old boy were retrieved from inside a crocodile's belly after he was eaten alive. In , Ricky Ganya was last seen collecting snails on a riverbank in Kuching, Malaysia when the croc pounced, clamped its jaws on his ankle and dragged him underwater. The boy's aunt, who witnessed the horrifying attack, called for help and the emergency services arrived. They then used a chicken as bait to lure the 14ft croc out of the water, about three miles from where the teen was last seen.
An officer from the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Operations Centre said: "The crocodile was pulled onto the shore where its stomach was checked. A female ranger was taken by a crocodile while out fishing with her family when she disappeared in Australia. The woman had also been collecting mussels with the group of seven women and children in east Arnhem in the Northern Territory. A woman's limbs were cut out of a crocodile's stomach shortly after it ate her in June The beast pounced on Fatimah, 45, while she was fishing in a river in North Kalimantan, Indonesia.
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