A crocodile jumped onto a fisherman’s boat in Queensland with its jaws wide open to attack, but lost its balance and fell back into the water.
The incident occurred at Jane Creek, located northeast of Mackay city in Queensland, on the morning of December 31, 2023. The man who was attacked has been identified as Richard Brookman, a 45-year-old local who has been fishing in the creek for decades. After spending about four hours on the water, around 10 a.m. local time, Brookman noticed a crocodile swimming towards his small aluminum boat. “I turned on the light to look into the creek, and I saw its eyes staring directly at me,” the fisherman shared.
Crocodile attacks are very rare. (Photo: Richard Wainwright/AAP)
Brookman estimated the crocodile was about 4 meters long, while his boat was only 3 meters long. He moved to the back of the boat to start the engine, but the crocodile suddenly lunged up and landed on the boat.
“The crocodile swam under the boat, then circled back and jumped onto the boat with its jaws wide open,” said Jane Burns, a wildlife management officer at the Queensland Department of Environment, Science and Innovation (DESI). “The man then jumped over the crocodile to the bow of the boat and retrieved the anchor. Meanwhile, the crocodile turned around, lost its balance, and fell back into the water, bending the boat’s handrail.”
Brookman returned safely to shore and shared that he had never encountered such aggressive behavior from a large crocodile in the area before. According to Burns, this is an unusual incident as jumping onto boats is not typical behavior for these animals. DESI announced that they would conduct a daytime survey to locate the crocodile and install warning signs. Authorities will assess its behavior and the potential risk to community safety.
The close encounter with the saltwater crocodile left fisherman Richard Brookman shaken. (Photo: ABC).
If authorities locate the crocodile and determine it poses a threat, they will relocate it. Crocodile attacks in Queensland are very rare. From December 1985 to July 2023, there were 47 reported attacks in the state, 13 of which were fatal. In June 2023, a man narrowly escaped the jaws of a saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) that attacked him from behind while he was scuba diving off the coast of Queensland.
It is estimated that there are 150,000 saltwater crocodiles in Australia. Saltwater crocodiles are known for their aggressive nature and higher territorial instincts compared to freshwater crocodiles. They typically charge to bite when they feel their territory is threatened or when they detect prey.
