Lake Eacham croc to stay following serious attack on swimmer
The wife of the man attacked by a freshwater crocodile at a popular Far North swimming hole is calling for it be removed as video emerges of it lurking in the water.
Cairns
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The wife of the man attacked by a freshwater crocodile at a popular Far North swimming hole is calling for it be removed.
Last Thursday the Department of Environment and Science received a report that a man had “an interaction” with a freshwater crocodile while swimming in Lake Eacham in the Crater Lakes National Park.
The 62-year-old was bitten by on the hand, knee and shoulder during a cold and rainy morning after completing his usual early morning fitness swim.
The man drove himself to Atherton Hospital before being transferred to Cairns Hospital.
The regular swimmer at the lake underwent surgery and spent four days in hospital on intravenous antibiotics.
The man’s wife, concerned about negativity on social media requested anonymity but said the department had to make a call about visitor usage of Lake Eacham.
“Our view is that it’s either a croc viewing area or a swimming area, it can’t be both,” she said.
“We are talking about a man being hurt, but next time it could be a child.
“The croc has a right to live their life, we are not into culling, but a decision has to be made on the use of the lake.
“We are not the only ones who feel that way.
“It’s not going to go away, it has happened before but attacks have not been reported.”
The Yungaburra area local said she believed the situation to be “escalating” and that the Lake Eacham freshie was becoming “territorial”.
A Department of Environment spokeswoman said freshwater crocodiles are known to be timid animals and any interaction with humans was rare.
The spokeswoman said the isolated Lake Eacham incident would not change DES policy and the animal would not be removed.
“Very few incidents have been reported involving freshwater crocodiles and people,” she said.
DES warned freshwater crocodiles have very sharp teeth and may lash out and cause injury when cornered or disturbed.
Though DES in a media alert did urge swimmers to take care when swimming in freshwater croc habitat, the victim’s wife said stronger action was needed.
“The disappointing thing is there was no public warning, there were people going into the water when he was getting out,” she said.
“The department advised him not to swim there. If they are telling him not to go back, they are saying that for a reason.”
Freshwater crocodiles are not subject to the same “problem crocodile” management arrangements as estuarine crocodiles but the lake was closed in 2022 for two days after a swimmer made a complaint about the feisty freshie.
Rangers studied the animal night and day to determine if it needed to be removed but found when approached the freshie shot off in the opposite direction.
No decision was made to remove the animal.
In May 2022 new signs warning of freshwater crocodiles were erected.
The crocs have lived at the lake for the past 15 years but are understood to not be native to the area.
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