Expert defends ‘stupid’ man hunting near alligator
A man fishing on a river bank in front of a sunbathing crocodile in Australia has been caught on video by a Briton who couldn’t help but call him “stupid”.
The scene was filmed on the banks of the Russell River near Cairns, Queensland.
Television Independent identified the man taking the video as British expat Tess Blackmore, who said in the video, “I’ve seen some stupid things in Australia and some stupid people, but this (takes the cake). Croc is on the beach. (He’s) fishing right next to him.” He’s twice as tall as this (stupid) person.”
Some commenters on the 9 News Gold Coast Facebook page couldn’t believe the fisherman would be so soon. Others criticized the tourist for not warning the fisherman. Among the comments:
“Don’t worry about warning him, let’s just film him instead.”
“Yeah, keep your voice down while shooting, so there’s a good chance the alligator will catch him off guard.”
“Risk life and limb in order to feed a flathead? Um, no thanks!”
“Nominated for the Darwin Awards.”
At least one commentator defended the fisherman’s actions.
“Croc is just basking in its territory, not moving, not threatening, just chilling doing what crocodiles do. If a hunter isn’t wise or aware of potential threats in the area around him, that falls on him.”
Then there was Jesse Crampton, the owner of Croc Country Australia who was more concerned with the safety of the crocodile known as Clyde. He also defended the fisherman.
From 9 news:
“Unfortunately for Clyde, he chose the sunny bank directly opposite the bridge, so it attracted a lot of attention,” said Crampton.
“He’s grown a lot in the past years because he’s been feeding a lot.
“A few wild cards go down there and throw food at him, which is definitely a no-go. This is next level, compared to fishing on the bank.
“I’ve personally seen over the years people feed him fish, carcasses as big as wallaby carcasses on the road, doing their own attack shows.”
This could prove a death sentence for Clyde, Crampton said, because if humans got used to his behaviour, his behavior could become more erratic.
If this happens, and it exhibits problematic behavior, it may be targeted for removal from the wild.”
As for the hunter…
“In my opinion, he wasn’t there to provoke the gator or feed the gator, he was just hunting,” Crampton told 9 News.
“Although it looks very close, the crocodile is on the ground. It’s winter time here, and he was still at a reasonable distance observing the animal.”
Crampton told 9 News that the actions of the poachers in the video are “not necessarily a cause for concern,” but he worries they may encourage imitators who don’t know how to read large reptiles or others who cross the line.
The story originally appeared for The Win
