A crocodile handler has said the killing of a dad of three by one of the reptiles in Far North Queensland last week was “unnatural” behavior.
There was likely another tragic and out of character reason why he was taken.
Newcastle doctor David Hogbin was walking along an established riverbank path at the Annan River near Cooktown when the path gave way and he fell into the river on Saturday.
Police have said they are confident that remains found in a euthanized crocodile were of the father.
The 40-year-old was on a caravan trip with his wife and three boys.
Talking to The Cairns Post, crocodile handler Damien Cowan said the part of the river where Dr Hogbin fell in, called Crocodile Bend, was not a usual place for the animals to lurk.
Mr. Cowans aid he suspected 16-foot saltwater crocodile was “hanging out there was from behavior brought-on by people.”
Crocodiles often feed by snatching smaller animals at the waters’ edge.
“Crocs don’t have a big brain, but they are very good at one thing – and that’s knowing its source of food,” he said.
“A crocodile will learn where it finds its prey – where the wallabies go and drink all the time”.
But the river bank at Crocodile Bend was raised by several meters so fewer animals would drink and it would be a less lucrative hunting ground.
“You’re not getting prey consistently falling off a large bank, you’re not having a pig or a wallaby taking a misstep and falling in there.
“So it’s an unnatural area for that crocodile to prey or feed.”
Tragic reason
Mr. Cowan told The Cairns Post that the dumping of fish scraps into the river by humans was making it easier for the crocodiles to find food in locations they wouldn’t usually spend time in.
“So that’s what he was doing with the discarded fish scraps – it was a pattern he was following. It’s nothing new,” Mr Cowan said of the crocodile.
Footage has emerged of people feeding crocodiles, believed to be at the Annan River, with calls to raise penalties for the act.
The current fine for feeding crocodiles is $6452 but some have suggested it be raised to more than $11,000 which is the penalty for feeding dingoes on the Queensland island of K’gari/Fraser Island.
Mr Cowan said Dr Hogbin’s death was “an absolute tragedy” and that a two-decade-old reptile was shot for following behavior humans may have taught it.
“A croc that thought it was getting fish frames got shot in the head. Yes the croc attacked him, but he didn’t hunt him.”
Dr. Hogbin’s wife Jane tried to help her husband out of the river but almost fell in herself.
“Dave’s final, decisive act was to let go of Jane’s arm when he realised she was slipping in, an act that likely saved her life,” a fundraiser read.
“In a world-shattering instant, Dave was taken by the crocodile. One small consolation is that none of Dave’s children witnessed this event.
“Needless to say, Dave’s family and friends are completely broken.”
