Man uses his jocks to save croc
By Rebekah Cavanagh in Darwin
November 15, 2007 12:00am
A MAN has gone "commando" in a bizarre attempt to rescue a stranded 1.5m saltwater crocodile on a popular Darwin beach.
Jimmy Howard last night told how he lassoed the saltie before taking off his red jocks and putting them over its eyes to calm it down.
"I just ripped my jocks off, soaked them in the water and wrapped them around its face," he said.
"It was a bit cranky and that was the only thing I could use to cover its eyes.
"I'm probably the only one in the world who can say they went commando for a croc.
"I'm just lucky it wasn't a bull - it would have arced up a bit at the sight of red jocks."
Mr Howard, 35, almost stepped on the croc as it basked in a shallow pool of water more than 100m from the sea's edge at Casuarina Beach about 2.30pm on Monday.
"I was walking along at low tide and noticed a small outline in the water and thought it was a stingray," he said.
"I was standing about 1m from its tail, so I quickly backstepped and grabbed a stick, which I then poked at it to make sure it was alive.
"It had 200m of sand all around it and was just sitting in the pool of water, which was probably only half a metre deep.
"He was only a little fella, so he probably got a bit tired in the rough tides or something.
"All I know is he had good little teeth on him and I think he would have taken a good chunk or two out of you if he had the chance."
Mr Howard said his instinct was to remove the croc as he was concerned it would attack a child or dog if they ran through the water puddle.
"There was enough water there for him to stay there until the tide came back in, but that beach is used quite heavily in the afternoon with families and people walking their dogs," he said.
"I called a friend and he came with rope and helped me catch it, while we waited for Parks and Wildlife to arrive."
The saltie was taken to the Noonamah Crocodile Farm.
When asked if he was planning on wearing his handy jocks again, Mr Howard said: "I don't know. I'll have to give them a good wash."
"They might be lucky for me."
"I'll have to put them on and go to the casino. You never know, I could win a bit."
By Rebekah Cavanagh in Darwin
November 15, 2007 12:00am
A MAN has gone "commando" in a bizarre attempt to rescue a stranded 1.5m saltwater crocodile on a popular Darwin beach.
Jimmy Howard last night told how he lassoed the saltie before taking off his red jocks and putting them over its eyes to calm it down.
"I just ripped my jocks off, soaked them in the water and wrapped them around its face," he said.
"It was a bit cranky and that was the only thing I could use to cover its eyes.
"I'm probably the only one in the world who can say they went commando for a croc.
"I'm just lucky it wasn't a bull - it would have arced up a bit at the sight of red jocks."
Mr Howard, 35, almost stepped on the croc as it basked in a shallow pool of water more than 100m from the sea's edge at Casuarina Beach about 2.30pm on Monday.
"I was walking along at low tide and noticed a small outline in the water and thought it was a stingray," he said.
"I was standing about 1m from its tail, so I quickly backstepped and grabbed a stick, which I then poked at it to make sure it was alive.
"It had 200m of sand all around it and was just sitting in the pool of water, which was probably only half a metre deep.
"He was only a little fella, so he probably got a bit tired in the rough tides or something.
"All I know is he had good little teeth on him and I think he would have taken a good chunk or two out of you if he had the chance."
Mr Howard said his instinct was to remove the croc as he was concerned it would attack a child or dog if they ran through the water puddle.
"There was enough water there for him to stay there until the tide came back in, but that beach is used quite heavily in the afternoon with families and people walking their dogs," he said.
"I called a friend and he came with rope and helped me catch it, while we waited for Parks and Wildlife to arrive."
The saltie was taken to the Noonamah Crocodile Farm.
When asked if he was planning on wearing his handy jocks again, Mr Howard said: "I don't know. I'll have to give them a good wash."
"They might be lucky for me."
"I'll have to put them on and go to the casino. You never know, I could win a bit."
