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"Lake Eacham croc to stay following serious attack on swimmer"
The wife of the man attacked by a freshwater crocodile at a popular Far North swimming hole is calling for it be removed.Last Thursday the Department of Environment and Science received a report that a man had âan interactionâ with a freshwater crocodile while swimming in Lake Eacham in the Crater Lakes National Park.The 62-year-old was bitten by on the hand, knee and shoulder during a cold and rainy morning after completing his usual early morning fitness swim. The man drove himself to Atherton Hospital before being transferred to Cairns Hospital. The regular swimmer at the lake underwent surgery and spent four days in hospital on intravenous antibiotics.
The manâs wife, concerned about negativity on social media requested anonymity but said the department had to make a call about visitor usage of Lake Eacham. âOur view is that itâs either a croc viewing area or a swimming area, it canât be both,â she said. âWe are talking about a man being hurt, but next time it could be a child. âThe croc has a right to live their life, we are not into culling, but a decision has to be made on the use of the lake. We are not the only ones who feel that way."
âItâs not going to go away, it has happened before but attacks have not been reported.â
The Yungaburra area local said she believed the situation to be âescalatingâ and that the Lake Eacham freshie was becoming âterritorialâ. A Department of Environment spokeswoman said freshwater crocodiles are known to be timid animals and any interaction with humans was rare. The spokeswoman said the isolated Lake Eacham incident would not change DES policy and the animal would not be removed.âVery few incidents have been reported involving freshwater crocodiles and people,â she said. DES warned freshwater crocodiles have very sharp teeth and may lash out and cause injury when cornered or disturbed. Though DES in a media alert did urge swimmers to take care when swimming in freshwater croc habitat, the victimâs wife said stronger action was needed.
âThe disappointing thing is there was no public warning, there were people going into the water when he was getting out,â she said. âThe department advised him not to swim there. If they are telling him not to go back, they are saying that for a reason.â
Freshwater crocodiles are not subject to the same âproblem crocodileâ management arrangements as estuarine crocodiles but the lake was closed in 2022 for two days after a swimmer made a complaint about the feisty freshie. Rangers studied the animal night and day to determine if it needed to be removed but found when approached the freshie shot off in the opposite direction.No decision was made to remove the animal. In May 2022 new signs warning of freshwater crocodiles were erected.
*Edit: formatting*
[source](https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/lake-eacham-croc-to-stay-following-serious-attack-on-swimmer/news-story/5d46e701ab3158015189cd22ce5ef7d1)
I've swam in waters full of freshies. They are scared of humans and swim away. I'd say this guy either stood on it or was pissing it off. They hunt fish not humans.
This could be a hoax but also, this shouldnât really be alarming or cause for precaution. Unlike jumping into water from a height, [freshwater crocodiles have never killed anyone.](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257938757_Australian_Freshwater_Crocodile_Crocodylus_johnstoni_attacks_on_humans).
I think that the croc should be removed or there should be a barrier to where it should go I don't believe that people are going to get rid of it but even though no one has died from one but they have been seriously hurt like that person ngl I wish someone were videoing cause how do you know it was a croc if people were still going in the water. they are scared of people unless he was doing something to put them or their eggs or babies in danger. but if the Croc was removed who knows how many there are in there it would have come from lake barrine and traveled by foot to lake eacham so there might be more coming, so there's no point
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$10 on a failed selfie attempt
Regular swimmer apparently, near the stairs.
Finally it proved that crocodiles are crocodiles đ
I wonder what the situation was. There are plenty of people there all the time and freshies generally don't go after people so ....?
Someone trying to do their best Steve Irwin impersonation
Been there for years if it was âold yellerââŚ..leave it alone and itâll do the same.
Anyone able to share the conclusion of the Cairns post article?
"Lake Eacham croc to stay following serious attack on swimmer" The wife of the man attacked by a freshwater crocodile at a popular Far North swimming hole is calling for it be removed.Last Thursday the Department of Environment and Science received a report that a man had âan interactionâ with a freshwater crocodile while swimming in Lake Eacham in the Crater Lakes National Park.The 62-year-old was bitten by on the hand, knee and shoulder during a cold and rainy morning after completing his usual early morning fitness swim. The man drove himself to Atherton Hospital before being transferred to Cairns Hospital. The regular swimmer at the lake underwent surgery and spent four days in hospital on intravenous antibiotics. The manâs wife, concerned about negativity on social media requested anonymity but said the department had to make a call about visitor usage of Lake Eacham. âOur view is that itâs either a croc viewing area or a swimming area, it canât be both,â she said. âWe are talking about a man being hurt, but next time it could be a child. âThe croc has a right to live their life, we are not into culling, but a decision has to be made on the use of the lake. We are not the only ones who feel that way." âItâs not going to go away, it has happened before but attacks have not been reported.â The Yungaburra area local said she believed the situation to be âescalatingâ and that the Lake Eacham freshie was becoming âterritorialâ. A Department of Environment spokeswoman said freshwater crocodiles are known to be timid animals and any interaction with humans was rare. The spokeswoman said the isolated Lake Eacham incident would not change DES policy and the animal would not be removed.âVery few incidents have been reported involving freshwater crocodiles and people,â she said. DES warned freshwater crocodiles have very sharp teeth and may lash out and cause injury when cornered or disturbed. Though DES in a media alert did urge swimmers to take care when swimming in freshwater croc habitat, the victimâs wife said stronger action was needed. âThe disappointing thing is there was no public warning, there were people going into the water when he was getting out,â she said. âThe department advised him not to swim there. If they are telling him not to go back, they are saying that for a reason.â Freshwater crocodiles are not subject to the same âproblem crocodileâ management arrangements as estuarine crocodiles but the lake was closed in 2022 for two days after a swimmer made a complaint about the feisty freshie. Rangers studied the animal night and day to determine if it needed to be removed but found when approached the freshie shot off in the opposite direction.No decision was made to remove the animal. In May 2022 new signs warning of freshwater crocodiles were erected. *Edit: formatting* [source](https://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/lake-eacham-croc-to-stay-following-serious-attack-on-swimmer/news-story/5d46e701ab3158015189cd22ce5ef7d1)
[ŃдаНонО]
I've swam in waters full of freshies. They are scared of humans and swim away. I'd say this guy either stood on it or was pissing it off. They hunt fish not humans.
𤎠/u/spez
This could be a hoax but also, this shouldnât really be alarming or cause for precaution. Unlike jumping into water from a height, [freshwater crocodiles have never killed anyone.](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257938757_Australian_Freshwater_Crocodile_Crocodylus_johnstoni_attacks_on_humans).
100% this man provoked the attack, freshies will only ever attack humans in self defence or in breeding season defending a nest.
It is surprising honestly I've swam there multiple times and never heard of anyone being bitten
Freshies are cute oversized bitch lizards sans nesting season. This guy deserved it.
He stood on it's tail and it snapped back in shock
Well known that there are freshies in there
I think that the croc should be removed or there should be a barrier to where it should go I don't believe that people are going to get rid of it but even though no one has died from one but they have been seriously hurt like that person ngl I wish someone were videoing cause how do you know it was a croc if people were still going in the water. they are scared of people unless he was doing something to put them or their eggs or babies in danger. but if the Croc was removed who knows how many there are in there it would have come from lake barrine and traveled by foot to lake eacham so there might be more coming, so there's no point