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If you venture into far north Queensland, you’re well aware that crocodiles pose a safety risk.

Not only are the river systems full of sizeable reptiles, but there are also saltwater crocodiles.

A 60-year-old fisherman can count himself fortunate to have survived an attack during a fishing trip near Hope Vale, north of Cooktown.

To give you a sense of just how far north we’re talking, here’s Cooktown on a map:

The man was attacked by a crocodile, with Cairns Hospital confirming that he is in a stable condition after being bitten on the leg.

It could have been so much worse, reports ABC:

…the man was fishing on the banks of the Mcivor River last Thursday when his lure became stuck in a tree branch.

He was trying to free the lure when the crocodile attacked and tried to drag him in to the water.

The man was able to grip onto a tree branch, reached for his knife and stabbed the reptile, which then let him go.

That’s one account of what happened.

NewsAU tells a slightly different story, via a statement from the Department of Environment and Science (DES):

The man was fishing on his property last week but a bull was standing at an ideal casting location near the river.

He attempted to shoo the bull away but as he cast his fishing line into the water, a crocodile lunged from the river.

“The animal then grabbed him by both feet and attempted to drag him into the water,” DES said in a statement provided to media.

“He described grabbing a branch of a mangrove tree and holding on as long as he could while the animal attempted to pull him into the water by his boots. But the animal was too strong, and he had to let go.”

At that point, he managed to pull a knife from his belt, and began stabbing the crocodile in the head.

Once he was free from its grip, he scrambled up the river bank to his car and drove himself to Cooktown Hospital. He was then airlifted to Cairns Hospital.

DES said the man’s injuries are consistent with a crocodile bite (so he’s not talking bollocks), and added that the crocodile was likely attracted to the river bank by the presence of the bull.

The 60-year-old can count himself as quite fortunate. A recent crocodile attack on two soldiers north of Lockhart River (even further north than Cooktown) left one of the men with broken bones and other upper-body injuries, with the second man having his arm ripped open during his rescue efforts.

In February, 69-year-old Andrew Heard was killed in northern Queensland, with his remains later found inside a euthanased crocodile.

[sources:abc&newsau]