HUNTERDON COUNTY DEMOCRAT (Flemington, New Jersey) 17 July 08 A near croc attack on the Delaware? (Kevin J. Guhl)
A Frenchtown man has claimed that he was almost bitten by a crocodile or alligator while fishing in the Delaware River in Kingwood Township on June 20, although police have yet to find any evidence that the claim was true.
According to New Jersey State Police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Jones, the 26-year-old fisherman, who police declined to identify, was fishing in the river at the Kingwood Township recreation area on Route 29 in shallow, muddy water. The fisherman said the beast which tried to chomp him was four to five feet in length. The fisherman called police at 6:48 p.m. and a trooper arrived seven minutes later, but the trooper did not spot a crocodile or any other animal or object that would have accounted for the sighting. Police notified boaters and hikers in the area and asked them to spread the word. The DEP was also notified. Police have not received any reports of the creature since.
Crocodiles and alligators, of course, are not native to the Delaware River, preferring much warmer climates. Delaware Riverkeeper Maya van Rossum said she has never heard any report of such animals living along the river, but said it could be possible that someone would have one as a pet, decide they didn't want it, and abandon the animal near the river. Sgt. Jones pointed out that a pet alligator was recently confiscated during a drug bust in northern New Jersey.
Kate O'Hara, spokeswoman for the Delaware River Basin Commission, said the Commission is also unaware of any reports of alligators or crocs on the Delaware.
Police talked with park staff at Bull's Island on the river in Stockton about the crocodile sighting, and also approached Greg "the Famous River Hot Dog Man" Crance, who sells hotdogs on the river from his pontoon boat and runs Delaware River Tubing across from the Frenchtown Roller Rink on Route 29, right near where the supposed crocodile was sighted.
"When they told me (about the sighting), I laughed," said Mr. Crance. He thought someone was playing a prank. The police told Mr. Krance they were serious.
Mr. Krance said he has been boating regularly on the Delaware River for 23 years and has "hawk eyes" but has yet to spot a crocodile or alligator.
"I sit on a tall river boat. The river is clear (very much so this year) and I can see a mile in either direction," he said. Thousands of people have gone tubing on the river since the report and none have reported sighting an out-of-place reptile, said Mr. Crance. "I would think somebody would have seen it," he said, pointing out that the animals are known for sunning themselves on banks as well as swimming.
"I don't believe it's true but I can't say it with certainty," admitted Mr. Crance.
Mr. Crance said he was discussing the matter with a friend of his, a regular Delaware River fisherman, and the fisherman had an interesting theory. He suggested that the animal that was spotted might have been a fish called a musky, a freshwater fish that can reach four feet in length and that is known to float on the river surface when its belly is full, its eyes poking out from the water like an alligator's or crocodile's would. Muskies have large mouths with sharp teeth. Granted, the fish are not known to attack people, said Mr. Crance.
A near croc attack on the Delaware?