KIMBERLEY ECHO (Kununurra, Australia) 18 January 07 Attack could be 'freshie'
A Kununurra man has survived being attacked by what's believed to be a freshwater crocodile at Ivanhoe Crossing the weekend before last.
Kerry York, 27, told ABC Radio of the attack.
He had been swimming on the downstream side of Ivanhoe Crossing on January 6 when he was bitten by what is believed to have been a two-metre freshwater crocodile.
He received bites to his the neck, chest and left arm.
"I waded into the water up to about my shoulders and, yeah, then a crocodile grabbed me from underwater," he said.
"Bit me on me chest and on me neck ... and had another go at me and hit me on the arm.
"I didn't even see the croc; I just felt it grab me and then it took off."
Friends rushed him to Kununurra District Hospital, where he received 11 stitches to his arm and four stitches to his neck.
Mr York said he felt uneasy shortly before the attack.
The Department of Environment and Conservation has called for more caution around waterways following the attack.
District wildlife officer Alex Bowlay said that even though many people have used the area to go fishing or just cool off over the years, there is always a chance that wild animals including crocodiles can be present in deeper water very close to the crossing.
"The area is a hotspot for tourists and locals alike. Considering the amount of fishing and general activity in the area, it's amazing something like this hasn't happened before," he said.
"There is a possibility that the animal responsible for the man's wounds was a crocodile, but in recalling the incident it appears that nobody at the scene could say for sure whether it actually was a crocodile.
"The group and the victim returned to the area later that night and only then observed a large freshwater crocodile at the scene of the attack, which apparently did not move or scare easily," he said.
Alex reminded people that prominent signs at Ivanhoe Crossing warned about activities such as swimming or cleaning fish that could place them at risk in waters known to contain both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles.
"Entering deep water on either side of the crossing is potentially dangerous," he said.
"There are not only crocodiles present in the area, but possibly small sharks, sawfish and other creatures usually found in tidal waters on the downstream side."
Attack could be 'freshie'