"If they've got hold of you, poking the eyes is the only possible way you can fight back - they have thousands of years of instinct telling them this is the only vulnerable part of their body and they need to let go," Mr Cooper says. "But the chances are you aren't going to get anywhere near them.
An alligator is less likely to keep attacking something that is fighting back. [If it attacks] the best bet is to go straight for the eyes. Their heads are like a rock, so if you're trying to punch it in the face, you're not going to hurt it. You have to take your thumb or your finger and jam it into their eye socket.
Never provoke, harass or interfere with crocodiles, even small ones. Never feed crocodiles — it is illegal and dangerous. Be extra vigilant around water at night and during the breeding season from September to April. Avoid approaching the edge of the water and don't paddle or wade at the edge of the water.
Keep a safe distance if you see a crocodile. Be aware that crocodiles often will bask with an open mouth to regulate their body temperature, and there's no cause for concern if you see this behavior. Swim only in designated swimming areas and only during daylight hours. Crocodiles are most active between dusk and dawn.
Visual stimulation should be reduced by covering the eyes or keeping the crocodile in a dark container. Captured animals are already in a stressed condition and noise and handling must be kept to a minimum. If excessive struggling has not occurred, chemical immobilisation with drugs can be considered where necessary.
Pro Tip: If you spot a croc, back away slowly and try not to make sudden movements. Splashing in water will only draw attention. If a crocodile heads your way, run away in a straight line. The myth about moving in a zig-zag motion is just that—a myth.
Never swim where crocodiles may be present, even if you don't see any signs.
If you see a crocodile in Queensland report it to the Department of Environment and Science by using the QWildlife app for iOS and Android, accessing the sighting report online or calling 1300 130 372 (Option 1).
Crocodiles will swallow their food whole if it's small enough but will use their powerful teeth and jaws to crush and break up larger prey or to splinter the hard outer shell of a crab or a turtle. Nile crocodiles like this one will eat buffaloes and occasionally people, although humans are not their natural prey.
In rare cases, individual crocodilians have been known to bond so strongly with people that they become playmates for years. For example, a man who rescued a crocodile that had been shot in the head became close friends with the animal. They happily played every day until the crocodile's death 20 years later.
Crocodiles can run very fast when they are about to attack. So, skip those "running in zigzag motion" advice and run in a straight line as fast as you can. The goal is to get away from the croc as far as possible.
The eyes of the crocodilian are its most vulnerable part, and several croc-attack survivors have reported eye-gouging as their salvation. Attempt to gouge, kick, or poke the animal in the eye with your hands or whatever you can grab.
Their scaly skin is too tough to bite, and punches and kicks are going to be met with vicious counterattacks. As grisly as it may be, the best bet for a human would be to try to get on top of the crocodile out of the water, attack its head, gouge its eyes, and try to do enough damage to knock it out.
Crocodiles have been known to be as far south as the Mary River in Gympie. This is only about 167km from Brisbane and only 52km from the Great Sandy National Park. More astonishingly, this is a whopping 449km away from the northern points of Queensland where they are typically found.
Croc country (considered to be typical crocodile habitat) begins at the Boyne River south of Gladstone, and extends northward, up the east coast and across Far North Queensland.
The biggest croc ever found, at 8.6m (28ft). Shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia in 1957. Wendy Richards and 5,461 others like this.
But according to wildlife ecologist James Perran Ross of the University of Florida, officials estimate that crocs kill about 1,000 people per year — 100 times more than the 10 people sharks kill per year.
Crocodiles do not like to be handled. While crocodiles will get used to regular handling, you should always be on guard when handling a crocodile. Always handle young crocodiles gently.
Despite being poor swimmers, researchers have discovered that the saltwater crocodile (also known as estuarine) commonly travels long distances over open oceans by riding ocean currents.
But despite their size and strength, there are animals that do prey on them. Man appears to be their biggest predator. Big cats like leopards and panthers sometimes kill and eat these big reptiles. Large snakes can also do a lot of damage to alligators and crocodiles.
"Its skin is so thick you aren't going to pierce it and its head is a solid mass of bone - there are no weak points. "The one thing you can do is get your fingers in its eyes - but with crocodiles, prevention is always better than cure."
Research shows that they do. However, their emotions are not the same as humans. We may anthropomorphize crocodiles and snakes in certain ways, but they are not conniving evil beasts. They feel fear and anxiety and contentedness, even if it is in their own way.