A team of caretakers intended to restrain and examine Elvis. Photo: Cover Images/Australian Reptile Park
A heavy wooden block, wrapped in rubber, was inserted between the crocodile's jaws so veterinarians could examine the ingrown tooth.
They hoped to take an x-ray and operate on a dental infection.
They hoped to take an X-ray and operate on a dental infection.
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But moments after the goalkeepers jumped on Elvis's back, the half-ton reptile lost its cool and began shaking its head from left to right.
A 5kg lump flew out and hit operations manager Billy Collett on the head, leaving him with a nasty bruise.
Elvis was at the end He was eventually calmed down with an additional dose of muscle relaxant. Photo: Australian Reptile Park/Cover images
“It was all over in less than 15 seconds, but it felt like an eternity,” Mr Collett said.
< p>“I have never felt anything like this and have caught hundreds of large crocodiles. He just flew into a rage.
“Bang, suddenly they hit me on the head. I didn't even know what it was. I went with a look of admiration. I can’t even describe how tightly I held that crocodile, because if they had let me go, thrown me aside, I would have put the whole team in danger,” he said.
“It looked like a fight. At one stage my head was on the side of his head, literally looking straight into his open mouth, and I knew at this stage I needed to get myself and the team out of there. We were in grave danger. Things went very quickly.”
Veterinarians managed to remove the infected tooth. Photo: Australian Reptile Park. /Cover Images
He explained that the big hodgepodge was given a muscle relaxant because this procedure is safer for the animal than injecting it with a stronger sedative, although it makes such operations more dangerous for keepers.
Mr Collett was left with a “pretty good bump” on the head, but said the result could have been much worse.
Despite the shock, the goalkeeping team made a second attempt to subdue Elvis with an extra dose of muscle relaxant.< /p>
This time the operation was successful, and veterinarians were able to remove the infected tooth.
Elvis was brought to the park from the Northern Territory, where he became aggressive towards boats in Darwin Harbour. Photo: Australian Reptile Park/Cover image
Elvis has been at the Australian Reptile Park since 2007.< /p>
He was introduced there after being captured in the Northern Territory, where he became aggressive towards boats in Darwin Harbour.
Saltwater crocodiles have almost completely been hunted to extinction in tropical areas of northern Australia. but were given protected status in the 1970s.
They have since recovered in numbers in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
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