From:
To: ;
Subject: crocodile attack at Adelaide River
Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 18:03:33 +1030
I must say I've spent many mornings sitting very watchfully & cautiously under
the mangroves (on the north side of the bridge over the Adelaide River on the
hwy on the eastern bank a few metres back from the water). I was always amazed
at the size of some of the crocs floating along the river, especially heading
upstream under the bridge with what I believe must have been the in-coming tide
- some were huge!! in one hour one morning I counted 25 crocs sailing past all
heading up-river & most were 15 ft long minimum!!!
certainly a great spot for Mangrove Golden Whistlers & Arafura Fantails, but I
have to concur with Denise, please be very careful if u ever go there!!
even more astonishing for me was the size & abundance of the crocs at Shady
Camp on the lower Mary River - what a spot!! there were at least 5 or 6 big
monster crocs hanging there that must have been 20ft or longer - one individual
was the biggest male I've ever seen, & I've seen a LOT of crocs!! this guy was
a minimum 25ft, no kidding!!
what was most alarming about this spot was the teenage boys & their fathers
actually fishing from the banks at dusk standing within ONE metre of the
shoreline right where the crocs were - i'm not kidding, it was gob-smackingly
dumb!! I told them about the crocs I had seen there that day, & they just
dismissed it with a chorus of "yeah mate, she'll be right mate, thanx!!" then
all had a swig...
honestly, some people....!!
cheers,
martin cachard,
cairns
> Date: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 14:39:43 +0930
> To:
> CC:
> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] crocodile attack at Adelaide River
> From:
>
> Yes he did wade into the river, I believe. In another recent attack a bloke
> was apparently dragged out of his dinghy.
>
> I’ve heard several reports of people who live in the area, including
> children, being lunged at by crocodiles as they fished or stood on the
> landings or the banks. In the past a few residents have told me they’ve
> complained about the cruises for this reason.
>
> Denise
>
> Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
> PO Box 71
> Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
>
> PhD candidate
>
>
> Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
> Founding Member: Australian Federation of Graduate Women Northern Territory
> 043 8650 835
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 19 Aug 2014, at 2:09 pm, Jeremy O'Wheel <> wrote:
>
> > ABC news are reporting that there's never been a person attacked in a boat
> > at Adelaide River, and that the fisherman in the last attack had waded into
> > the river to un-snag his fishing line.
> >
> > Jeremy
> >
> >
> > On 19 August 2014 14:04, Charles Hunter via Birding-Aus
> > <> wrote:
> > Hi Denise,
> >
> > When I was in the Top End last year I visited the Adelaide River and did
> > the croc cruises.
> >
> > I was amazed (like most people on the boat) at how high the 4 metre plus
> > crocodiles could jump to get the chickens attached to the rope.
> >
> > After seeing crocodiles behave in this manner, I personally would never
> > fish (or bird watch) in a tinny in any parts of northern Australia.
> >
> > After the croc cruise we stopped at other parts of the Adelaide River and
> > saw many crocodiles.....
> >
> > Two weeks ago Dad and I saw a 4m plus croc in one of the permanent water
> > holes in Lakefield N.P. (Queensland).
> >
> > At Iron Range N.P. a couple of days later the Ranger told us to be very
> > careful bird watching close to the deep pools in the rivers and streams due
> > to crocs (even in the dry season).
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Charles
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tuesday, 19 August 2014 1:39 PM, Denise Goodfellow via Birding-Aus
> > <> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > Since the early 1980s I’ve been taking birders to this area of the Adelaide
> > River, mainly looking for Mangrove Golden Whistler.
> >
> > Having more experience with crocodiles than most, I’m very careful with
> > clients. Firstly I scout the area to ensure no crocs are lying under the
> > trees, and then I keep clients keep several metres away from banks.
> > Occasionally twitchers behave stupidly, one of the reasons why I’m not very
> > keen on taking some of them. Jim Zimmer of San Diego made me tell his
> > birding club what I say to such people!
> >
> > My Aboriginal son, Reverend P. Nganjmirra, a traditional Kunwinjku man,
> > said there were more big crocodiles around now that in his grandfather's
> > time, probably because of the introduction of stock. Whether there is now
> > a reduction of cattle, buffalo and horses I don’t know. But from the
> > attack on the South Alligator River recently, where a man was dragged out
> > of his dinghy it seems that some crocodiles may be targeting the next
> > biggest item in the food chain.
> >
> > Anyway, I suggest that birders be very careful when around Top End
> > waterways. Avoid hiring small dinghies for a start, and no matter what the
> > twitch don’t go near the water!
> >
> > Denise Lawungkurr Goodfellow
> > PO Box 71
> > Darwin River, NT, Australia 0841
> >
> > PhD candidate
> >
> >
> > Founding Member: Ecotourism Australia
> > Founding Member: Australian Federation of Graduate Women Northern Territory
> > 043 8650 835
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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