Dog Fights Off Two-metre Crocodile After Almost Being Eaten By It At A Popular Beach In Australia
A dog named Banjo miraculously escaped from the jaws of a two-metre crocodile after the predator struck when it was on a walk with his owner.
A dog named Banjo miraculously escaped from the jaws of a two-metre crocodile after the predator struck when it was on a walk with his owner.
The incident took place at Casuarina Beach in Darwin, Australia. Banjo was swimming in the shallow part of the water, when a crocodile bit him and held him in its mouth, ABC News reported.
ABC News
The crocodile bit the dog on his back - leaving it with three deep lacerations - before fleeing.
Banjo's owner Tom Cummins said he only realised his pet was being attacked when he heard a yelp and looked back to see the dog in the crocodile's jaws.
"The water was about knee-deep and I heard a bit of a yelp. I looked towards the water and the crocodile had him in its mouth. He'll be able to show [the scars] to his girlfriend and say 'look I'm a hero," Collins told ABC News.
Cummins told NT News that his dog fought back and forced the crocodile into setting him free.
¡°He¡¯s a fairly tough dog. He turned around and bit the croc,¡± he said.
ABC News
¡°I think the croc took on more than it could chew. He let go and then Banjo came onto the beach. He looked back and the croc was still there. He (Banjo) walked as if nothing happened. He has some pretty bad lacerations but the worst part was the pressure of the jaws,' he added.
Collins took the dog to the vet but was told the wounds did not require stitches and were 'cosmetic', as per ABC News.
Although Banjo made a lucky escape, rangers from the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife say the saltwater crocodile is still in the wild. Sharing a Facebook post, they asked for residents to exercise caution and report any crocodile sightings made in the area.
¡°The Crocodile Management Team have so far been unable to locate the croc,¡± their post read. ¡°If you see a crocodile at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, or anywhere else in Darwin Harbour, please call us as soon as possible on 0419 822 859.¡±
Crocodiles are commonly found in the Northern Territory's creeks and waterways and are known to eat animals as big as cows, buffaloes, wild boars.
According to ABC News, saltwater crocodile populations have increased from 3000 to 100,000 in the past 50 years after laws that prohibited hunting were introduced in 1971.
As a result, experts say crocodiles have been getting ¡°bigger on average each year as more of them reach maturity¡±.
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