There ya go...local.
I've looked at croc attacks recently because I have been checking up on a few things I have been told lately. From talking to people who are experts on the animals too, one a TO ranger at Pajinka, who claims to have 'raised' a 19-20foot wild croc over the last 15 years (its older than 15yrs) and which lives on a island only visited by TO's.And after spending a couple of days with Rob Bredl learning from him.
Croc attacks can be hard to check because how many go unreported? These would mainly be attacks on TO's. But out of 39 since the late 80's that I have looked at the majority of the attacks have been on locals, either black or white.
The Pajinka ranger claims that the crocs know the blackfellers and won't attack them, they know if they get a bit naughty they will get speared or shot, so they leave the TO's alone. I am not convinced, and though we had a good yarn with many laughs and some serious bits too, I reckon he was pushing it a bit for the white tourists sake.
It seems that more people are getting taken recently, than in previous years. A few years ago we had the largest rainfall ever recorded
in the Top End. My theory is that the floodwaters reached areas that had previously never seen large amounts of water, this allowed crocs to move into areas that people who have lived there for eons would never expect crocs to inhabit. Also of course there are many more crocs around these days because there is no culling.
I guess more indigenous people live side by side with crocs and are more likely to come face to face with them.