Australia has a large population of crocodiles but as the research noted, there are only an average of 1.9 attacks a year.
Crocodile attacks on humans are common in places where large crocodilians are native and human populations live. It has been estimated that about 1,000 people are killed by crocodilians each year.
Saltwater crocodile attacks DO happen in Australia on a regular basis. (Most attacks are on pets and livestock, but unfortunately there also regular accidents involving humans, and about two per year are fatal.)
Since 1971, Australia has witnessed 99 attacks on people by saltwater crocodiles, of which 27% were fatal. On average that's around 2.3 attacks per year over four decades, of which 0.6 were fatal.
The Department of Environment and Heritage Protection register starts in 1985. Between then and now there have been 33 crocodile attacks in Queensland, 11 of them fatal. The department's data shows there has been one attack every year over the 33-year period, and one death every three years.
Horses and cows kill the most humans every year in Australia
It really is no joke.
Nile Crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus)
The species easily claims the title of the most-dangerous crocodilian, since it is widely thought to be responsible for more than 300 attacks on people per year.
Cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to people and domestic animals. The 2007 edition of the Guinness World Records lists the cassowary as the world's most dangerous bird.
The crocodiles caught by the non-Indigenous hunters are for the leather hides, which are then skinned, prepared and transported to factories in capital cities. "The Aborigines have perfected many hunting techniques and the cunning crocodile is outsmarted every time by the skill of master hunters," the narrator said.
There are thought to be around 200,000 Saltwater Crocodiles in Australia, with the most found in the areas surrounding Darwin and the Mary River. Over the years, they have been hunted for their skins and have almost been brought to extinction on a number of occasions.
Crocosaurus Cove is also home to the famous Cage of Death, Australia's only crocodile dive. Swim with one of the largest saltwater crocs in the world, and marvel at his prehistoric features and mesmerising gaze. This is a truly up close and personal experience that must be done.
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.
But how quickly can they run? Most crocodiles can achieve speeds of around 12 to 14 kph for short periods, which is somewhat slower than a fit human can run. Don't believe the hype - if you're reasonably fit, you can definitely outrun a crocodile!
Central Africa has the largest population of Nile crocodiles. The southeast Asian island of Borneo also has a large population of estuarine crocodiles.
An average crocodile that weighs 700 pounds and measures over 10 feet long is going to be too powerful for a human to overcome.
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. Here's why crocodiles are much deadlier than sharks.
After European settlers arrived in 1788, thousand of aborigines died from diseases; colonists systematically killed many others. At first contact, there were over 250,000 aborigines in Australia. The massacres ended in the 1920 leaving no more than 60,000.
In January 1945, forces of the Fourteenth Army landed on Ramree and the neighbouring island of Cheduba, to establish airfields for the supply of the mainland campaign. The battle is known for claims that many Japanese soldiers were killed by crocodiles in the mangrove swamps of Ramree.
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.
Australia's apex predator, the dingo (Canis dingo) influences the abundance and behaviour of herbivorous prey and mesopredators in arid ecosystems. The dingoes' ecological role is uncertain in more productive forested environments of eastern Australia.
In terms of the number of humans killed every year, mosquitos by far hold the record, being responsible for between 725,000 and 1,000,000 deaths annually.
Dogs: 27 deaths. Kangaroos: 18 deaths.
"Saltwater crocs have the strongest recorded bite force of any animal on the planet — [the] kind of force can easily crush a human skull," Frost said.
The good news is they can be cured with a much simpler antibiotic treatment than we realised. Since crocodiles were granted protected species status in the 1970s in Australia, they have attacked more than 100 humans. For those lucky to survive, their injuries often become infected.