Outcry at stupid Stefaan's croc shock

Beware the crafty crocodile,
That cruises down the river,
Menace lurks behind his smile,
Enough to make you shiver !
Naturally you'll feel afraid,
These creatures fear not man,
Should you paddle, swim or wade,
They'll get you if they can !
Some wise advice - respect the croc,
And never play the fool,
Because an unexpected shock,
May lurk there in the pool !

Queensland, Australia

Locals are outraged that a tourist's stupidity, which led to him being attacked, will mean a popular crocodile called Allan will be moved away by rangers.

[click read more]

The two-metre croc will live out its days in a farm as a breeding crocodile after biting 24-year-old Belgian tourist Stefaan Vanthournout's leg when he tried to get its attention by wading into a creek and slapping the water with a stick.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has already sent out a team to search for Allan.

Mr Vanthournout was with a group of about six other tourists who ignored crocodile warning signs and went into Masons Creek, on the south side of Cape Tribulation in Far North Queensland, after spotting the saltwater crocodile lying on the riverbank.

The group waded to the other side of the creek and Allan slipped into the water.

The crocodile was submerged but Mr Vanthournout wanted to get a photo so he grabbed a 30-centimetre stick and started hitting the water so Allan would come up.

Come up he did, lunging at the Belgian and leaving a decent set of teethmarks on his left knee.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service spokesman Mark Read said Allan would have to be moved because "we have an obligation to ensure we minimise risks to all users, locals and tourists alike''.

But locals are upset Allan is being taken away.

The president of the Daintree Cape Tribulation Tourism Association, Alison Gotts, said the crocodile was being punished for the idiotic behaviour of a tourist.

"I just wish they would leave him alone,'' she said. "I don't think being tormented by an idiotic tourist warrants his removal. I am annoyed by the decision that the crocodile is the one who is punished.

"If you were being taunted by that tourist you would bite him too. No one here wants him to go, he has been here for about five years.

"It is his place, we are the ones that have invaded his space. We feel honoured to be living here with a croc.''

But Mr Read offered the theoretical situation of a child being attacked by Allan in the future as enough reason of the Wildlife Service's decision.

He said the farm Allan will be sent to has not yet been determined, adding it may take some time for the team to track down the crocodile.

After the attack one of the other tourists raced away to get help from the local pharmacy.

"We just had someone coming running in off the beach saying someone had been attacked by a crocodile,'' Kelly Lash, owner of the Cape Trib Pharmacy, said.

Dr Lash called an ambulance while his partner headed down to pick up the victim, whom he said was more shocked than physically injured.

"It just let go right away. He was sitting there in shock [and there was] a little bit of blood,'' he said.

"It lunged out and grabbed his knee and the worst part is he didn't get the photo.

"I tell you, it's a candidate for the Darwin Awards - the awards for doing stupid things.''

The Darwin Awards "salute the improvement of the human genome by honouring those who remove themselves from it'', says the awards' website.

Dr Lash said it wasn't the first time an animal had bitten Mr Vanthournout.

"The funny thing is his girlfriend told us he's been bitten by a monkey before.''

Mr Read said the tourist was extremely lucky not to have received more serious injuries.

"He's very lucky. The animal is estimated at two metres long and 70-85 kilograms in weight. Had the animal say bitten him on the face and then done a death roll, which is quite often part of their prey-catching behaviour ... normally there's a much higher degree of injury.''

Mr Vanthournout was treated at Mossman Hospital for his injuries but was released last night.

AAP reports: The Liberal Party last week passed a motion proposed by Senator Macdonald at its annual state convention in Brisbane for crocodile numbers to be reduced in populated areas.

The call came after crocodiles were spotted at The Strand in Townsville, forcing authorities to close the beach.

Senator Macdonald said croc numbers had returned to "sustainable levels'' since hunting was banned in Queensland in 1972.

"I think there is value to be obtained from the cull of wild crocodiles in the form of meat (and) skins - much the same as we do for kangaroos,'' he said.

But Queensland Environment Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said destroying a "prehistoric animal'' which lived in Queensland was ``nothing short of ridiculous''.

She said most crocodile attacks occurred as a result of people behaving irresponsibly.

"This particular tourist behaved in a very foolish manner,'' she said.

"We have good signage, we educate the public to be croc wise and most people who have faced a crocodile under serious circumstances, where they've lost their lives, have been irresponsible because they've been drinking (or) they've gone into the water of known crocodile habitats after 5pm.''

References:

SMH: Outcry at stupid Stefaan's croc shock

Cartoon Caption by Bagelblogger.

Bagelblogger Fresh Always!
: * Crococile attack * Far North Queensland Crocodile attack *Crocodiles and stupidity * Darwin award nominee * Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service * Save Allan the crocodileCrocodiles and tourists * Crocodiles sponsor tourist award * Cape Trib Pharmacy * Croc attacks *Daintree Cape Tribulation Tourism Association * Stupid Steefan * Jewish * BagelBlogger * Bagel Blogger *