COURIER MAIL (Brisbane, Australia) 22 November 06 Danes crook at croc capture (Cameron Atfield)
The people of Denmark have spoken – Allan the 2m salt-water crocodile should have been left in peace.
Allan, a 2m salt-water crocodile, made headlines in Europe when he bit into the leg of Belgian tourist Stefaan Vanthournout at Mason's Creek, on Cape Tribulation, last month.
In Danish television station TV2's online poll, 86 per cent of respondents said the croc should have been left in the creek.
Allan, captured soon after biting Mr Vanthournout, was moved to Cairns Crocodile Farm at Gordonvale, 350km south of his previous home at Cape Tribulation.
TV2 journalist Mariam Rostami Mosen said 11,121 people had cast votes in the poll.
She said website users were given three choices – to put Allan to sleep, move him away from his home, or just leave him be.
Mr Vanthournout was with a group of tourists who ignored crocodile warning signs and went into the creek after they spotted the croc lying on the riverbank.
Wanting to lure Allan out of the water, Mr Vanthournout hit the water with a 30cm stick.
He was hoping to capture a happy snap on his camera – instead, he got a happy snap on his leg. He received only minor injuries.
But Mr Vanthournout's northern European cousins had little sympathy for the foolish tourist.
In an online poll, Danish television station TV2 asked viewers what should have happened to Allan after the attack.
TV2 journalist Mariam Rostami Mosen said 11,121 people had cast votes in the poll.
She said website users were given three choices – to put Allan to sleep, move him away from his home, or just leave him be.
A whopping 86 per cent said he should have been left alone.
"They want Allan to stay in the lake. They believe it's the tourist (sic) own fault," she said.
"Normally we don't use polls on our website, because we are a television station, so it's a lot of people who voted.
"And we (wanted to give) Allan the croc more attention."
The other two options both received seven per cent of the votes.
But the great Danish outcry was in vain.
After the attack, Allan was captured and moved.
Danes crook at croc capture