Australian man escapes crocodile attack by prising its jaws off his head

A man in Australia escaped with his life after a saltwater crocodile attacked him at an exclusive resort in Queensland. Marcus McGowan, 51, was snorkelling when the predator attacked him from behind. However, he pulled its jaws off his head, suffering severe scratches. 

McGowan received immediate medical attention at a nearby island hospital. He is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Cairns. 

At the time of the incident, McGowan was in the water with a group of people about 28 km off Haggerstone Island near Cape York. "I thought it was a shark, but when I reached up, I realised it was a crocodile. I was able to lever its jaws open just far enough to get my head out," he told BBC. The crocodile, speculated to be a juvenile, returned from behind for another go. McGowan pushed it away but suffered a bit to his hand. 

Are crocodile attacks common in Australia?

Crocodile attacks are rare in Australia. However, the number of attacks has increased in the last few months. They are common in Australia's tropical north.

In February, rangers shot a 13.4 ft crocodile that attacked a man and ate his dog at a boat ramp in north Cairns. Since record-keeping began in 1985, this was the 13th fatal crocodile attack that happened in Queensland. Earlier in May, Australian authorities found the remains of a 65-year-old fisherman Kevin Darmody inside a 13.4 ft crocodile on the nearby Kennedy River. 

According to the environment department in Queensland, crocodiles in the open sea can be tough to locate as the predators can travel several miles every day. However, they guaranteed to probe the incident.

The management programme in Queensland ensured the removal of 'problem crocodiles' from public areas to protect the public. The authorities euthanise the predator only in rare cases. 

Australia banned crocodile hunting in 1971. Since then, the crocodile population has bounced back. According to a report from Wired, there are around 100,000 saltwater crocodiles in northern Australia. Their average size is 20 ft, and their average weight is 1000 pounds. These 'salties' lurk in warm rivers, lagoons, and billabongs and feed on animals like pigs, water buffalos, and small sharks. 

In 2005, the Australian government rejected the plan to allow trophy hunting of saltwater crocodiles in northern Australia despite two fatal attacks on divers. International croc experts supported the proposal to legalise crocodile hunting. However, animal welfare organisations regarded it as cruel.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE