A 99-pound crocodile attacked and ate a Labrador who was on a morning walk in Australia on Wednesday, leaving the pet's family devastated.
Indie, the dog that has been with the Benn family for around 11 years, was grabbed by a 99-pound crocodile in Kamerunga, a suburb in the Cairns region in Queensland, Australia, 7NEWS reported. The attack happened at the lower Kamerunga Foot Bridge on the Barron River.
"She's been part of our grandchildren's lives since they were born," Alan Benn told the Australian news website. "So...waking up this morning it was hard for them because they asked 'where's Indie?"
Simon Booth of the Queensland Department of Environment and Science said that the department has "knowledge of a crocodile in the area which has been targeted for removal". Booth also warned people at the river to stay away from the water's edge.
"This will significantly reduce the risk," he told 7NEWS.
Benn's daughter Alia said that the dog was "taken in one bite and dragged into the water" and added that Indie "didn't stand a chance" of surviving the crocodile attack.
Crocodiles, known for being fierce creatures with strong jaws and 80 razor-sharp teeth, often attack humans in areas where they are natives. Nearly 1,000 people are killed every year by crocodiles, according to the animal encyclopedia AZ Animals and CrocBITE, a database containing global crocodile attacks. Still, it is difficult to document the exact number of crocodile attacks each year because some of them happen in remote areas and are not reported.
Following their tragic loss on Wednesday, the Benn family placed a handwritten warning sign on the river bank urging people to practice caution and called for action.
"Dog taken by crocodile 14.12.2022 off the BANK. Will a kid be next? Please be careful!" the sign read, according to an image shared by 7NEWS.
Meanwhile, Benn pointed out that children often fish along the same banks "every day of the week" where the attack happened.
"Why should we have to be worried about bloody crocodiles?" he said.
The 2.4 meters crocodile was later found in the river and it is expected to be transferred to a zoo or farm, but the family recalled that the crocodile who ate their dog is larger.
Newsweek reached out to the Queensland Department of Environment for comment.
It is not uncommon for crocodiles to attack animals and small children. Earlier this month in Malaysia, several videos showed the large reptile snatching a 1-year-old child who was on a boat with his father, fishing at a river in Lahad Datu in the Tawau Division of Sabah.
The father battled the crocodile and sustained severe injuries while trying to save his son, but the reptile dragged the child underwater, according to authorities.
"Despite the man's best efforts, he ended up with numerous bite wounds and could not stop his son being dragged underwater," said Sumsoa Rashid, head of the Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Agency. "There are several viral videos showing how the victim was attacked by the crocodile and then grabbed before being dragged to a nearby river."
One video that circulated online showed the crocodile resurfacing out of the water with the boy's body in its jaws.
About the writer
Fatma Khaled is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in New York City. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics, world ... Read more
