rogerramjet_2003 Report This Comment Date: March 05, 2008 12:55AM
Croc's not very
happy snap
TEASING crocodiles is not a very smart thing to
do, as this fisherman discovered in an Australian Northern Territory
river.
A monster saltwater crocodile came within a metre of making a meal out of
fisherman Novon Mashiah on Friday.
The creature, which was gliding alongside the small boat hoping for a free feed
of fish, suddenly exploded out of the water after Mr Mashiah pointed at it while
posing for a photograph.
The snap almost cost the 27-year-old his life as he leaned over the back to pose
for the picture.
The crocodile - estimated to be more than 4m long - landed on the side of the
boat before crashing back into the water.
"I was shocked, the animal clearly wanted to kill me. One minute I was
leaning over the boat teasing it for a picture," Mr Mashiah said.
"The next minute it burst out of the water with incredible speed ... its
jaws fully open. I jumped back and the croc landed on the boat and then slapped
into the water. I was shaking.'"
Mr Mashiah's mate Doron Aviguy, 22, took the photo from a bigger boat nearby.
The two Israelis were working as fishermen on the South Alligator River when
they came face-to-face with the saltie.
Mr Mashiah lent over the back of the boat when he saw the croc.
"I began playing with it for a photo," he said.
"I was pointing at it when it suddenly jumped up at me. I didn't realise
that crocs were so aggressive.
"They came near the boat all the time, probably because we were fishing.
We'd seen eight different crocs in the past month.
"I was laughing, but it wasn't funny in the end. That's it, I'm not getting
close to crocs any more."
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/