Croc Takes T'ville man

[noodlemantra]

Did anyone see this in the paper today.???

http://townsvillebulletin.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,16289417%255E14787,00.html

A TOWNSVILLE man was dragged out of his boat by a crocodile while fishing with his wife on Cape York Peninsula late yesterday.

The 60-year-old man had tried to fight off the crocodile with his paddle but it lunged at him and grabbed him by the arm about 5.30pm.

Queensland police said the large crocodile overturned their small boat.

The woman swam ashore and drove for 20 minutes to alert staff at Lakefield ranger station.

National Parks and Wildlife Service rangers combed the area, but there was no sign of the man.

Environment Minister Desley Boyle said rangers were on site looking after the man's distressed wife and searching for the missing man.

"If the worst is confirmed this is a tragedy for the family concerned and our thoughts are with family members at this extremely distressing time," Ms Boyle said.

"I'm told the man and his wife were fishing from a canoe late this afternoon on Midway Waterhole at Lakefield National Park about 150km north west of Cooktown when the crocodile approached them.

"It's believed the crocodile was following bait or fish on a hook.

"It is currently understood the man tried to fend off the crocodile off with a paddle but the crocodile lunged at the man, grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the water.

"The woman has told rangers she saw her husband and the crocodile disappear," Ms Boyle said.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service executive director Alan Feely said, "Park rangers were alerted at 5.20pm and rangers searched the area.

"A night search has recovered the canoe but there has been no sign of the man or the crocodile.

"Rangers have blocked access to the site and are guarding the waterhole and will camp there overnight.

"The animal will be removed and destroyed if it can be identified.

"The area is known crocodile habitat and the waterway well signed with crocodile warnings."

Ms Boyle said the incident was another example of the dangers posed by crocodiles and a timely reminder to exercise extreme caution in crocodile habitat.

A search of the waterway will resume at first light today, and will include the NPWS, Queensland police, a Queensland Rescue helicopter and National Parks boats.


not good news at all.

[PinHead]

MY sympathies to the family involved.
There is no way I would ever consider being in croc territory in a canoe..something akin to a battleship would be more to my liking.

[marlinj]

My sympathies as well, thats terrible what a shame.
You wouldnt catch me in a canoe either in croc country.

[zedjack33]

Bloody nora, poor bugger!

[stunnedmullet]

Very very sad.
Irrespective of what we think of the sanity in taking a canoe in croc infested waters, a woman has lost her husband and my sympathy goes to the families.
Living in North Qld, it is easy to be careful around crocs when you see them. Problem being that many more see you than you see them.
The mullet

[Brejen]

Heard on the news this morning that they've shot the wrong Croc. Someone might be in a little trouble.
Brett

[baldyhead]

lakefield is full of large man eating crocs, a lot of them put there as relocated crocs from other areas.
This has been a major problem just waiting to happen. The National Parks has for years had prepared statements for the media release for such an attack.
Many years ago I saw one of these media release statements shown to me by the head ranger @ Lakefield and all it needed for completion was the name and details of the victim and what water hole the attack took place.
Maybe now the National Parks people will cull (shoot,trap and kill) all crocodiles 2.5m and above.
After all the croc is not in any fear of being endangered...you only have to see how many are in farms and zoos the world over.

[TonyM]

MY sympathies to the family involved.
There is no way I would ever consider being in croc territory in a canoe..something akin to a battleship would be more to my liking.

Certainly not what you'd be expecting when out for a quiet day on the water - I'm always gratefull we don't have crocs down this far (normally). One mistake is all you need to make around any big predator.

Would be very nice to hear they've found him alive but I suppose that would be akin to a miracle :(

Pinhead - I've been planning a trip up to the top end for years, how about you bring your new boat and I'll be deckie for you?

[noodlemantra]

Well one must first ask the question
a)why a canoe??? ??? I've been in one and they are certainly not the type of device you'd want to be in if a croc is on your tail. they are small, narrow, and cannot be moved quickly (unless an outboard on back)
b) why was he granted permission to fish in a national park (is it right you have to have a licence), known croc territory in this sort of craft. Surely whoever allowed this to happen, has ignored the basic safety rule of all. Is this a safe craft for fishing in this environment?

These creatures demand respect and you always be croc wise, no matter what. When i fish banks, my number rule is never turn thy back on the water.

Its a damn shame :-[

[Daintreeboy]

ahh bugger only read this now. I posted in general, hope the mods pick mine up and delete it.
Yes canoeing a bad idea in Lakefield.
Cheers, Mark.

[warrior]

i feel terribly sorry for the man and the mans wife,but as the other people have written ,fishing in an area known for large agressive crocs in a canoe jesus!,was he thinking straight or like a lot of us me included after living in darwin getting too comfortable with your surroundings and forgetting the many rules your taught when in these areas

[dugong]

yes so sad
i must say croc's and canoes are a bad combination, i believe the croc sees the silent canoe as another big croc in its territory and thats what provokes the attack.
i have seen a lot of ppl in small car toppers with equally small outboards(not enough to escape a croc) and yet the croc's ignore them. if they did not we would loose a lot of grey nomads each year.

[Daintreeboy]

Looks like they have already shot the suspect, bit of a shame really.

[maztez]

Hi all, its a sad day for the family concerned and i add my commisorations.I lost a good mate in the NT to a croc in the mid 70s.In those days shooting of crocs had not long been banned and they were shy, however not shy enough.I taught my son Brett (brejen)the ins and out of barra fishin and we all consistently swam and bathed in the Mary, Adelaide, Daly ,Douglas without any incidents .Theres an old lady croc in the Darwin Museum named Sweetheart who was a real rogue and loved nothing better than to attack tinnys and eat the leg of the outboard or puncture the tinny.I never had the bad luck to cross her path but a mate did, unbeleivable the damage done.The last trip to the Daly, Brett and I did ,showed just how these ancient creatures had forgotten the past and investigated most everything.Nowadays I think everyone should be aware of their surroundings and proceed cautiously...

[MickEddy]

g'day
sad stuff, but as everyone else has said, he was in a canoe!
about the croc. although they said that there was no remains in the croc or whatever. it still could have been that one because they are territorial, it may not have eaten him, just a thought. do you think they keep popping them off til they find remains?
mick

[gawby]

As i said in the thread started by daintree boy, not happy to see the rangers shooting the croc. From all the documentarys i have seen the crocs dont eat the catch straight away so no remains as stated would be the case.
You have to question the sanity of those two people gonig out in croc infested waters in a conoe. Anyone in their right mind wouldnt do that. With all due respect for the family of the taken man i carnt realy find sympathy for him because it was such a stupid thing to do.
Graeme

[Fishin_Dan]

Isn't that like going on safari in Africa on a kids pedal tricycle???

I heard that the wife had said she didn't want any crocs killed to find him... Guess they didn't listen to her...

[baldyhead]

It was stated on the tv news tonite that the torn shorts and shirt was found well hidden in the reeds....and that the people searching the waterhole had actually gone past the bundle of clothes at least twice without spotting them....now when a croc tears their food apart they usually fling the bits around pretty dramatically....something is not right here maybe????

[Daintreeboy]

how many years were they married again? ;D ;D ;D

[fishsmith]

I'm suprised more Croc attacks don't occur up this way from what I have observed just about everytime I head out for a fish. Whilst I wouldn't fish out of a canoe up this way for quids some of the following actions people do leave a lot to be desired:


Wading around the stern of there boats in water over knee deep at the boatramp.

Wading whilst throwing a castnet.

Wading whilst draging a bait net.

Fishing sandbars in the middle of the river at low tide.

Camping on the waters edge.

Cleaning fish at the boat ramp and dumping fishframes and offal on site.
.
I often observe these activities whilst fishing the creeks North and South of Townie.I have heard reports of a large mud geko that inhabits Stoney creek around the Bohle river boat ramp although i haven't spotted him myself.

I have however spotted a large croc between 3 to 4 metres in length that lives 800m from the Haughton river boat ramp several times over the last couple of years (fished there last sunday and he's still there). Its only a matter of time before another attack occurs with the amount of un croc wise activities occuring on our water ways. The result of which will be a local croc or two culled which does nothing for long term attack prevention...Culling isn't the answer people education is

[baldyhead]

Quote"Culling isn't the answer people education is "
ABSOLUTE RUBBISH!!!!!!!!

[fishsmith]

Absoloute rubbish Baldy head, WHY! More info please..... >:(

[baldyhead]

My quote from page 1 "Maybe now the National Parks people will cull (shoot,trap and kill) all crocodiles 2.5m and above.
After all the croc is not in any fear of being endangered...you only have to see how many are in farms and zoos the world over."

Now to try and educate the general masses is an almost impossible task. No matter what type of education,rules,enforcement etc etc etc that one tries to implement the old story still exists. That is " you can tell some of the people SOME of the time."
I will give you a scenario that recentlly happened...we were at a waterhole in the gulf and a vehicle arrived and the 2 adults were setting up a picnic table for lunch when their two kids ventured towards the water..The father bellowed at them to come away from the waters edge...which they did..until he was busy doing something and not looking @ them. The kiddies then went to the water and were knee deep in it picking pretty blue water lillies to give to their mum.... This was in a river system known and signed for saltwater crocodiles.....So much for education etc etc.
If these large dangerous crocs were culled to a length of around 2.5m there would be a greatly reduced risk to the general educated/uneducated population.
I beg to ask a question.....If it was your daughter taken by a crocodile??????
cheers baldy

[gawby]

I dont agree with you baldyhead.
Crocs have been he since adam was a boy in their enviroment. Along comes man, oh look these creatures will eat us so lets just kill them.
This is not the answer.
If anyone by now dosnt know about crocs and where they live and how dangerous they are the must be brain dead.
Graeme

[gawby]

Another thought about culling.
Would it be the case then if there is a shark attack all sharks over 1 mtr long need to be culled.
I am sure, if you think about it the people that went into the croc infested waters with a canoe should have known better. It isnot the crocs fault that this happened and they shouldnt suffer.
Graeme

[basserman]

i thought they did cull sharks and it isn't by a nice hummain way like they do with crocs but by putting in shark nets around the beaches and let the poor buggers did slowly by drowning

i don't live in the tropics so have no real say either way but i think if the number where there and the croc was used as meat and leather then i have no problems with a select cull of them
after all we no longer hunt them as they are protected so they are able to breed in larger numbers ans as already posted they are now no longer endanged with all the croc farms growing and breeding them already for leather and meat and then all the zoos that have them i can't see them in danger anymore ;)

but it is like all things as long as it is done with resurch and under control then it woun't affect anything

[gawby]

Basserman,
Just lately the only thing the shark nets seem to be doing is catching the whales on the coast here.
I really dont like the idea of culls but if the carcuss is used as you said, perhaps.
Graeme

[Shafty]

I would never go into croc water in a canoe...though I have warned people in Cairns and Weipa swimming at boat ramps!!!
"The water is clear and we'd see the croc coming". Unfortunately this won't be the last.. :'(

[Needmorerum]

Yeah, I gotta agree with a culling of some sorts, as they don't have a predator at all. There is nothing out there that attacks Crocs. With this, their numbers are just going to get bigger and bigger. It would have to be done controlled though.
We travel up the Cape very regularly, and one of our highlights is spotting crocs at Kalpower and Hanns Crossings in Lakefield. Lakefield is known as the dumping ground for rogue and unwanted crocs. I do agree that fishing from a canoe is rediculous in these area's, but apparently this bloke has been doing it for a number of years. Still can't figure that one out.
If anyone is travelling up north, Wild World in Cairns is good to go to. The croc expert there says there is only three reasons a croc will come up to something in it's territory, to kill it, to eat it, and to mate with it, and I know what it doesn't want to do with us.
As much as this horror didn't need to unfold, it is still disheartening to know that someone's holiday was cut short, a long way short. Now there is a family out there that is missing a Husband, Father, and probably Grandfather, and there will always be a vacant chair at the table during Christmas.
May this never happen to anyone close, and may we always try and think ahead when in foreign and familiar places.

Stay safe,
Corry