(Photo – Steve Chen/AP)
They will kill today. They killed yesterday. And they will kill tomorrow.”
-Alison Anderson, Former Environment Minister, the Northern Territory, Australia, on the rise of crocodile attacks
Introduction
A near perfect killing machine and one of the most feared animals on earth, the crocodile has honed its hunting techniques for 200 million years.
And although its jaws are its weapon, the crocodile’s success depends on patience and its ability to ambush prey.
“A crocodile will stalk a target for hours or even days if necessary, and an 18-foot, 2,000-pound crocodile can hide in two feet of water and never give itself away,” says Rob Carmichael, a reptile expert and founder of the Wildlife Discovery Center in Chicago.
“You can be close to shore and think you’re safe,” continues Carmichael. “But you’ll never see the attack coming. The crocodile explodes from the water, takes you under and you’re gone. It’s over in seconds.”
There are 23 species of crocodiles, including the Nile – found in Africa and Madagascar – and the saltwater or estuarine crocodile – found in West Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania and Australia.
Both are notorious man-eaters.
The Nile croc can reach a maximum size of 20 feet and weigh up to 1,650 pounds.
A large Nile croc moments before a kill on the infamous Mara River in Kenya. The stunning image was captured by Vaclav Silha, a Czech wildlife photographer.
The saltwater croc can reach 23 feet in length, weigh 3,000 pounds and exert a bite force of 5,000 pounds per square inch, compared to 400 pounds per square inch for a large great white shark.
A 17.9-foot saltwater croc weighing well over 2,000 pounds. Photo by Adam Britton – crocodilian.com.
Combined, Nile and saltwater crocodiles account for hundreds of deaths each year including the five extraordinary and heartbreaking attacks featured in this five-part story.
The details of the attacks are based on original interviews, newspaper stories, press conferences, police reports, court transcripts and the book Crocodile Attack in Australia (Swan Publishing 1988) by Hugh Edwards.
The victims, who range in age from 5 to 68, include two Americans, two Australians and one German.
“All of these attacks are absolutely horrific,” Carmichael says. “But as gruesome as they are, they’re not really the crocodile’s fault. The attacks are the result of people putting themselves in bad situations. The crocodile is just doing what it is engineered and wired to do. And it does it very well.”
1. 22 Hours In Hell
It was Sunday afternoon, Dec. 21, 2003.
Brett Mann, a 22-year-old mechanic, and two of his buddies, Ashley McGough and Shaun Blowers, both 19, were enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
The three men were riding 4-wheel ATVs in a flooded tropical wilderness about 50 miles southwest of Darwin, their hometown located on the northern border of Australia.
The childhood friends knew this piece of paradise well. They often visited to escape the monotony of city life.
Covered in mud, they decided to clean up on the banks of the fast-moving Finniss River before heading home. It was 4:30 p.m.
“We went down to the river and just had a bit of a bath, washing all our clothes and boots,” Shaun said later at a press conference. “Brett went out just a little bit farther and was washed away. We both jumped in and swam after him.”
After traveling in the current for more than half a mile, the trio searched for land. But a new problem developed.
“Ashley yelled out, ‘Croc! Croc! I’m not joking, there’s a croc. Head for a tree! Get out of the water!’” Shaun said at a press conference later.
“I didn’t see a croc, but swam to the nearest tree and climbed up into the first fork,” Shaun continued. ”I helped pull Ashley up into the same tree. I didn’t see Brett anywhere or hear him call out. I didn’t hear a call or a splash or anything.
“It wasn’t very long after we got into the tree, maybe two minutes later, that I saw a croc pop up with Brett in his jaws,” Shaun continued. “Brett wasn’t moving, he was lying face-down in the water and the croc was gripping him by the left shoulder…It went under the water with Brett and swam away. I did not see Brett again.”
About five minutes later, the “big, black and aggressive” crocodile returned to the base of the tree and stayed. Sometimes it surfaced. And its menacing grin sent a wave of terror through its two human prey – trapped, just out of reach.
As day turned into night and the temperature dropped, it was apparent the large reptile was waging a war of attrition that it had no intention of losing.
However, Shaun and Ashley, still in shock from seeing their friend in the jaws of this monster, were just as determined as their 13-foot adversary. They literally hung in there.
“Because we couldn’t see each other, because it was dark, I had my hand on Ashley’s foot,” Shaun said in a police statement. “Whenever we moved, we’d say, ‘I’m moving’, and just check in on each other and make sure we weren’t going to sleep. We were worn out from hanging on to the little tree, [which] was swaying all night because there was a lot of wind and rain.”
The two spent 22 hours clinging to that small tree in cold, dark and wet conditions while the killer saltwater croc waited patiently, just 15 feet below.
Finally, around 2:30 p.m. the next day, their nightmare was over. A search team found Shaun and Ashley and lifted them to safety by helicopter.
They had lost a battle, but won the war.
Despite an extensive search, Brett Mann and the crocodile were never seen again.
***
Brett Mann, 22, was eaten by a 13-foot saltwater crocodile on Dec. 21, 2003 in the Finniss River located in the Northern Territory, Australia.
Ashley McGough, left, and Shaun Blowers, at a Dec. 23, 2003 press conference in Darwin, Australia. (Photo by David Hancock – GalleryTwoSix.com)
A large black saltwater crocodile that fits the description of the reptile that killed Brett Mann on Dec. 21, 2003 in the Finniss River located in the Northern Territory, Australia. The view of the croc is similar to the view that Ashley McGough and Shaun Blowers had when the pair spent 22 hours clinging to a submerged tree only 15 feet above the water while being stalked by the animal that ate their friend. (Photo by Jon Loman – Rana.se.)
The Finniss River site where a 13-foot saltwater crocodile seized Brett Mann. His two friends, Ashley McGough and Shaun Blowers spent 22 hours in the front tree marked with a ribbon as the killer crocodile waited patiently below. Two movies, Rogue and Black Water, were made about the ordeal. (Newspix)
Police on quad bikes searching the Finnis River area after a 13-foot saltwater crocodile killed Brett Mann. Shaun Blowers and Ashley McGough watched as the croc took their friend and then showed off his body as it circled the tree they clung to for 22 hours. (Newspix)
Wildlife officers holding high-powered weapons in the search for the croc that killed Brett Mann. (Newspix)
-End-
The exclusive five-part feature, Five Killer Croc Attacks, continues with Part Two: “Back Against The Wall,” the story of an American model who makes a split-second decision that determines the fate of two lives.
TheShadowReports 
Where’s the next part?
Need.more.
I bet anyone arunod there who owns a 20mm Lahti wouldn’t need to buy his own beers very often.In the comments, there were some relevant bitches, seems if a whitey had shot a croc, he’d be in deep crap with the powers that be.
Need more, bredren.
I absolutely hate crocs
Oh wow, I woldun’t know what to do. I like Crocodiles so I woldun’t wanna try hit it with anything, I’d probably just hope there was a door between me and it so I can close it haha
You’re a fucking idiot
what is anti inflammatory
So there I was reading through the popular I read it here topic on bing bulletins as I noticed a web link pointing to here and thus wanted to come evaluate whatever you have got here. I understand now why exactly those folks considered you are worthwhile enough to link to now
I love crocodiles
I hate crocodiles…lets avoid been at the wrong place anytym
how dumb can you be it’s their river-they outlasted the dinosaurs they have been around for millions of years. they have endured. it’s said some crocodiles walk like humans -they can endure all that life had to throw at them. people some go through so much only to survive it all and come on top. The croc should be respected because it told God it wasn’t finished yet and look today they are here is the bully T-Rex? i don’t think so..so stay away if you don’t want to be lunch.
Were you high when you wrote this?
its sad but what are people doing in water that is known to hold large numbers of crocodiles , this always just blows me away ….
feelin very very bad abt brett mann but i’ll suggest to keep urself away frm river (or lake) where crocs live. thnx 4 sharing ur thrilling experience………
Hey, I just want to say that saltwater crocodiles are the worst ever. I looked them up online one day in Vermont at my cousin’s place and was reading the attacks the crocodiles had done to a lot of people for a numerous amount of years. And, for a fact which is true, I want to do a project on saltwater crocodiles and tell people that there have been numerous attacks that have happened over a long time ago. Also, I want to add this. I learned that years before I was born, there happened to be a kid as young as 2 years old was killed by a saltwater croc.
not all croco are like that !!!
My condolences to Brett Mann’s family and his 2 friends, Ashley & Shaun. Sounds like the Croc was showing off when it surfaced with their buddy, Brett. Then to have it reappear at the base of the tree and just wait must of been extremely terrifying.
I was living in Darwin when this happened & your right! They said it was terrifying! I was there also when the German backpacker was taken & when the croc was first located she was in it’s mouth still alive crying!!! A few years later a little girl was taken in a local swimming spot where my partner grew up swimming. She went to the same school as my children. Ppl still camp, fish & swim knowing the risks!! Unbelievable!!!!!
You talk shit..alive and crying pfft..and if the kid your refering to is Briony in the Black Jungle its been unsafe to swim since the early 80s..dont spread bs like you’ve lived it you fool..
‘ Break Fast ‘ RECORD
Was at the Mara River and walked down by the river edge for a pic and the ranger standing by with rifle yelled at me to get away from the water now. Didn’t know that croc leaped out to capture their prey. It still shakes me up to know what could have happened. Later on that trip, someone in another safari disobeyed their guide not to go out at night and was attacked and cut in half by a hippo. Pretty easy to get in harms way in the Serengetti, but go on a safari for the trip of a lifetime. Check out Oattravel.com
There is one more species that is a maneater, its found in India , its called the mugger crocodile. Lots of attacks happen till this day. One of the recent incident was at Mumbai, (India). A fisherman was pulled by a mugger croc in the early morning while he was boating. His mistake he had gone too far into the river and his legs dangling in water ….
I had watched both movies. I find certain scenes in black water extremely horrifying-since I come from an area in PNG where croc attacks are relatively common. The first time I watched the movies I couldn’t sleep. I find the movie resonating very well the death of a fellow villager in 2012
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Not personal..yet sad at the loss of human life
crockodiles are the perfect predators and are smart. Because they live in the water and are cold blooded they seldom die of old age.There have been cases reported by pro crockologist ( thats a person who studies crockodiles ) of these reptiles living up to 5000 years or more. They found a living specimen they named coogera hibernating in a pharos pyramid which had been closed 4000 years.This is rare but has been reported many times in the scientific journal the enquirer.Living this long they learn alot.They cant speak but if they could they would.All crocks origionated from one crock we will call lawrence as it didnt have a name back then.An interesting fact is thats where they got the name for lawrence of arabia.It was not lawrence olivia. It spontaniosley impregnated itself over thousands of years and now they are everywhere except antartica and harlem except in the sewer system cause its warm. Just watch out for them cause their not mean but hungry. Thankyou. Next week we will do pidgeons.
what did they call that indian crock ? The nigger or something like that.
Say that in front of a black man, I fucking hate keyboard gangsters who think they are so funny by insulting people because the colour of there skin is nor White. The Indian Croc was named after you “Racist Bastard”. A fitting name for a fitting Croc of shit. Peace
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I had a very close call one time in mid April,
while canoeing on the Wekiva River, in Central
FL. I was going slowly
paddling, up stream from the
St. John’s River, which The Wekiva, flow’s into,
when, in an explosively, huge, splash, an est,
9′ gator, came off a bank, & under the right
side of my canoe, nearly turning the little boat
over. The .357magnun revolver I had with me,
nor my 22″ machete, would have done me
any good in the water. I was very, very, lucky.
I had spotted 10′ & approx. 12′ gator’s, earlier.
[…] year people are attacked, sometimes with tragic results. Fatal attacks are rare and make headline news. Often they are […]
Scary
i love crocs it will eat you
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Good crocodiles love white meat