Crocodile Attack/Dramatic True Stories of Fatal and Near-Fatal Encounters Between Humans and Crocodiles

by Hugh Edwards

This compelling book combines dramatic accounts of attacks on humans by crocodiles in Australia and intriguing information on how these creatures - cousins of the alligators that are found in our southern states - live, breed, and and stalk their prey.

Genres: Wildlife

240 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1989

Reviews

[Benjamin Stahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I expected to be a cheesy, forgettable, guilty indulgence turned out to be a masterful work on a terrifying yet wonderful creature. Hugh Edwards (like others before and after; Benchley's endearing Shark! and Cropp's challengingly outdated Shark Hunters) provides his readers with a deep and compelling treatise on the often ugly confrontations between crocs and humans. Naturally enough, I have always harboured a fascination in things that can eat us. Sharks and snakes have possessed my imagination since early childhood. Crocodiles, strangely enough, I never had much more than a passing interest in. This book has drastically changed that. Not only are they often more ferocious and unpredictable than sharks. They are also much closer to home. I mean, just imagine ... one comes across a shark, makes a hasty retreat for the shore. As soon as they are on land they are safe. Yet replace the shark with a crocodile, and that sonofabitch just crawls right out and grabs you. Not only this, but crocodiles - due to their ability to live out of the water - can invade our own territory (though admittedly, as always, most humans who get eaten are the ones invading theirs).

This book provides many gruesome, chilling and even upsetting accounts of real fatalities. The opening section devoted to the American Ginger Meadows in 1987 was particularly morbid. Those looking for an adrenaline-fuelling, spine-tingling book about crocodiles killing people in murky swamps and wild mangroves need look no futher. But Edwards does not mean to have us hate these animals. Fear them, sure. We should be respectfully terrified of crocodiles. But as he often stresses when dealing with the aftermath of countless attacks whereby humans get it in their head that the solution is to cull these creatures, fear of something does not have to lead to hatred. We should respect them as animals nature has honed through millenia. While nobody ought to be unsympathetic to those involved in fatal attacks, we should accept that in entering waters in places they are known to inhabit, the risk is taken at our own discretion.

I liked this book so much that I am going to keep it on my shelf, instead of giving it to my usual charity shop, as I will surely read it again some time ahead.

[Karyn Wheatley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t know what to expect from this book based on title/cover. A concern was that the true stories would be highly embellished and demonizing crocs. This was far from that. The true stories were interesting, sad, detailed, and adrenaline filled while still maintaining an underlying message about humans and wildlife (specifically saltwater crocs of Australia). It was also filled with great general educational material about Crocodilians of the world. Would recommend!

[CoolBreeze1978 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title of this book makes these stories seem sensational and they are for the most part. I have become more interested in crocodilians over the years specially after I had an up-close and personal encounter with a rather large and hungry one (territorial maybe) just last spring. My experience left me surprised at just how intelligent these animals are. Which is odd when you consider also how ruthless, cold, calculated, and predictably aggressive they are.

My advice is to skip this book altogether. (Assuming anyone actually reads the reviews I post here). I'll probably be reading a few more crocodilian books in the near future and will post some reviews as I finish them.

[Marina Alba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quan vaig començar aquest llibre intrigada pel que explicava mencionant-lo Bill Bryson al seu llibre "Down Under", o "En las Antípodas" en castellà, tant pel títol, com el nom dels capítols -bastant sensacionalistes-, com per l'estil de la portada, pensava que seria un recull periodístic de tot d'històries macabres relacionades amb atacs de cocodrils, que els demonitzaria. Res més lluny de la veritat; és un llibre basat en fets reals d'atacs, sí, però a més de ben documentats estan escrits des del més absolut respecte per aquests animals i no serveixen més que de base per instruir al lector sobre el seu comportament, els conflictes amb humans i la visió general que en tenim especialment de manera centrada en el territori australià i l'espècie "Crocodylus porosus", el d'aigua salada (que, acabo de descobrir, no habita únicament en aigües salines com jo tenia ficat al cap; "¡vaya bióloga!"), que és el més gran. És un llibre que m'ha ensenyat molt i m'ha fet apreciar una mica més aquests animals que per mi encara eren una mica desconeguts i temuts, i per això li he posat una puntuació tan alta malgrat estar, en ple 2026, una mica antiquat (no massa, tampoc han canviat tantíssim les coses...!). Des del punt de vista de la conservació i la gestió, trobo que és molt interessant de llegir perquè té un discurs que, a més de fàcil de seguir, no es tanca en una opinió en concret sinó que dona diversos punts de vista emmarcats en el conflicte de convivència entre humans i aquests animals i, a més, parla també de les granges de cocodrils i posa en dubte però no nega la seva ètica, encara que sigui molt per sobre, cosa que m'ha agradat molt perquè exposa lliurement el que tothom podria pensar i permet apropar l'amor o la curiositat per aquestes espècies a gent que, amb un altre fil de discurs, hagués abandonat el llibre i hagués seguit pensant que són monstres.

Molt interessant i 100% recomanable, tant de bo poder tenir-lo en físic com a reliquia a casa algun dia😋 això sí, els primers capítols de descripcions d'atacs poden ser xocants i desagradables, més que per por per descripcions escabroses (troballes de restes humanes, etc.), així que si us fa cosa potser que passeu directament a un llibre més tècnic o descriptiu de l'espècie...jo, personalment, penso que s'aprèn molt més del comportament d'una espècie, si no es poden observar en persona, llegint sobre experiències reals d'altra gent -i no edulcorades-.

[Abra Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories of crocodile attacks in Australia were very interesting and horrifying. Having seen a very small crocodile in an enclosed space in a small zoo which threw itself towards my then 5 year old daughter, I knew how fast and scary they could be. Luckily iron bars kept him from my daughter. They are faster than the blink an eye. The behavioral discussion in the book was very interesting and the author contends that they rarely attack humans that are out of the water. I wouldn't want to take any chances. Short, readable book with interesting information about crocodiles.

[WayBackWhen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not only about crocodile attacks but heavy on crocodile facts and conservation/ hunting history. Its a good nonfiction book for one wanting to learn more of crocs. But beware, its only Australian history (primarily northern) from around the late 70's to mid-to-late 80's. Pretty niche but a lot of fun!