Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world. head as he swam off the coast of Queensland in northern Australia.
Marcus McGowan was attacked by a saltwater crocodile while snorkeling from a luxury resort on Haggerstone Island, off the coast of Cape York in the tropics north of Queensland.
He managed to fight back, but the reptile attacked again.
Mr McGowan, his wife and a group of friends abandoned their boat over the weekend and jumped into «crystal clear» waters about 25 miles off the coast of Queensland.
The 51-year-old said he marveled at corals and tropical fish when the crocodile appeared out of nowhere.
“I was attacked from behind by a saltwater crocodile, which grabbed my head with its jaws. I thought it was a shark, but when I raised my hand, I realized that it was a crocodile. I was able to open his mouth just enough to pull out his head.”
But his ordeal is not over yet.
«Then the crocodile tried to attack me a second time, but I managed to push it away with my right hand, which was then bitten by the crocodile.»
He managed to «once again break free from the crocodile's grip.» ” and swam towards the rescue boat after the crew heard his cries for help.
Gold Coast, Queensland , where six crocodile attacks have been reported in the past few weeks. Photo: Moment RF
The attack happened quickly, but Mr McGowan believes the saltwater crocodile was probably a juvenile, perhaps three meters (10 feet) long.
If it had been an adult, it might not have lived before telling this story. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world, they can reach a length of more than 20 feet.
On land, they live in rivers and swamps, but they are known to roam far out to sea.
Mr McGowan was taken by boat back to Haggerstone Island, one of Australia's most remote private island resorts, where he received first aid from a friend, a firefighter who «knew what he was doing».
He was taken by helicopter to the hospital for Thursday Island, another resort along the Great Barrier Reef, and from there to a larger hospital in Cairns on the mainland.
He also suffered lacerations to his scalp. in the form of stab wounds on his head and arm.
Mr McGowan, who lives on the Gold Coast in south Queensland, said in a statement that he had no ill will towards the crocodile.
“I am an avid surfer and diver and understand that when you enter the marine environment, you enter territory that is owned by potentially dangerous animals such as sharks and crocodiles. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm just grateful that it was me and not one of the children or women in the group.»
Reptiles can cover tens of kilometers a day
The Queensland Department of the Environment has launched an investigation into the attack.
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«Crocodiles in the open ocean can be difficult to spot as the animals often travel tens of kilometers a day,» officials said.
This is the fifth crocodile attack in Queensland in the past few weeks.
Last month, a recreational fisherman was killed by a saltwater crocodile while fishing in Rignirru National Park (Lakefield) in remote Queensland.
The remains of 65-year-old Kevin Darmody, who owned a pub in the tiny town of Laura, in the outback, were found in the stomachs of two crocodiles shot by the authorities.
Also in April, a spear fisherman was attacked by a crocodile and another man was bitten on the leg while sleeping on a beach about 50 miles north of Cairns.
Local authorities warned people to be aware that salt water crocodiles go out to sea, and that tourists must camp at least 50 meters from the water's edge.
In February, rangers killed a large crocodile after it attacked a man and ate his dog while descending water. ramp near Cooktown, Queensland.
Video of the attack shows a large 'salty' exploding muddy river water and grab a dog in just one or two seconds.
Saltwater crocodiles almost completely disappeared in Australia until they were declared a protected species in the 1970s.
Since then, the population has bounced back and is now recovering at a rate of two percent a year, meaning there are now up to 30,000 crocodiles in Queensland alone.
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