The wife of a man who was killed by a crocodile said that one of his last actions had been to save her life.
In August 2024 Dave Hogbin, who was 40 at the time, was camping with his family in Far North Queensland, Australia. While he was walking near a river the riverbank gave way under him and Dave was thrown into an area called Crocodile Bend.
Even though its name sounds scary, crocodiles were not known to feed in that area. It was difficult for them to catch prey because of the steep riverbank, but a local crocodile handler said that the crocodile which eventually killed Dave may have been attracted by people throwing fish scraps nearby.
When Dave fell into the river, Jane at once rushed to pull him back to safety; but as she started to slip and go towards the water, Dave realized that she was in danger.
To stop her from falling in, he released her arm. A crocodile then seized him and pulled him under water.
No one ever saw Dave alive again.
The search went on for several days until the authorities eventually caught a saltwater crocodile measuring 16 feet (4.9 metres) about 2.5 miles (4 km) from where Dave had fallen, in which case human remains were discovered inside the creature.
Dave’s death has also once again raised worries regarding crocodile control in Far North Queensland. Although a law dating back many years which prohibited crocodile hunting in the area has contributed to the recovery of crocodile numbers, contacts between crocodiles and people are still a major hazard.
What are you supposed to do if a crocodile launches an attack?
Should you have already found yourself in the crocodile’s mouth one of the best things to do is to struggle. You should aim at the eyes or the palatal valve at the back of the mouth since this might make the crocodile let go of you.
The best way to defend yourself is to prevent the attack altogether. When you’re close to waters that have crocodiles, keep well away from the shore and never suppose that an area is safe just because you can’t see a crocodile.
Crocodiles are extremely skilful predators since they can stay almost entirely out of sight before making a sudden attack, and after they have caught their prey, their notorious death roll makes it very hard to escape.
The safest place to be if crocodiles are nearby is a long way from the water.
