Sixty-year-old Australian fights crocodile with a pocket knife

The man went fishing last week near Hope Vale, about a five-hour drive from Cairns. There he was attacked by a crocodile. “He would have seen the crocodile a few seconds before, just as he was about to throw his wand,” said the Queensland Department of the Environment.

The man is said to have grabbed a branch from a mangrove tree in a desperate attempt to stay away from the river while the crocodile’s jaws wrapped around his shoes. He soon lost the fight and was dragged into the river. “The man said that at that moment he managed to get his knife out of his belt and stabbed the crocodile in the head until it let go.”

Go to the hospital by yourself

After surviving the horrific attack, the injured man made his way to the hospital on his own. This was reported by the Queensland Department of Environment. He was treated at Cooktown Hospital before being transferred to Cairns Hospital, where he is still recovering a week later.

Saltwater crocodiles, which can grow up to seven meters in length and weigh more than a ton, are found in abundance in the tropical north. Their numbers have exploded since they were declared a protected species in 1971. Recent attacks have reignited the debate over their control.