Local Fisherman Catches 2.5-metre-long Crocodile
Queensland residents and Government officials are calling for a cull of Saltwater crocodiles as the number of close encounters with these potential man-eaters continues to increase. One of the latest crocodile incidents took place near the town of Port Douglas (Queensland), when a local angler caught more than he bargained for when a 2.5 metre long crocodile grabbed his bait.
Twenty-nine year old school teacher, Jamie Finger was fishing at a popular spot, the old Mowbray River bridge, helping to bag himself one or two nice specimens when the crocodile grabbed the prawn that the keen angler has been using as bait. A ten minute struggle followed as the crocodile refused to let go and Mr Fisher stubbornly held on in a bid to try to save his fishing rod.
Mr Finger, who had been fishing alone managed to get some remarkable pictures of his strange catch, before the crocodile, tired of the fishing tug of war and let the bait go, perhaps preferring to go after the barramundi, that had been Mr Finger’s original target.
When asked about his crocodilian encounter, brave Mr Finger stated that he had seen a crocodile lurking near the bridge before it disappeared under the murky brown water. A few minutes later in a scene reminiscent from the movie “Jaws” his reel began spinning and crocodile appeared below him.
Commenting on his ordeal, Jamie said:
“At first I just thought, I’ve got a big one here, and then this croc came up and began death rolling. At least with a shark, if you get it on land, you have some hope. But crocs have legs. They keep going. I took a few photos and a video because I thought no one would believe I had caught a croc.”
After a ten-minute fight the Saltwater crocodile let go, spitting out the bait and the hook. Leaving Mr Finger with just a fisherman’s tale to tell.
A spokesperson from Everything Dinosaur stated:
“The Saltwater crocodile was in the area doing exactly what Mr Finger was doing – looking for some fish. Fish tend to congregate in areas of slack water in rives such as around the supports of a bridge, the presence of prey would have attracted the crocodile to the location and the splashing a the bait hit the water would have induced this predator to attack”.
The Difference Between a Crocodile and an Alligator
Crocodile (top) and Alligator (bottom).
There have been a number of crocodile encounters reported in the Australian media over the last few days, all involving Saltwater crocodiles. A crocodile had to be removed from a golf course north of Cairns when it got too close to the clubhouse and a two metre long reptile attacked a car in the Mackay district. Local ministers and officials have called for a cull of adult animals or a policy of crocodile nest destroying to try to reduce the numbers of these man-eaters in areas where people tend to go.
Local MP Warren Entsch, a former crocodile farmer stated:
“Encounters with crocodiles are increasing up here. There is a strong argument for removal, whether it’s eggs or grown crocs out of populated areas.”
Certainly, it is true that crocodile populations have increased rapidly since hunting and trapping was banned. There have been further calls for culls in other areas of Queensland as well in the Northern Territories. With Saltwater crocodiles capable of growing to lengths in excess of six metres, these formidable predators pose a series threat to locals and tourists.
To view prehistoric animal models including ancient crocodilians: Mojo Fun Prehistoric and Extinct Figures.
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