A man survived a crocodile attack in northern Australia by tearing the animal’s jaws off its head, according to health officials.
The 44-year-old man told doctors he was swimming in Lake Placid, Queensland, when he was attacked by a saltwater crocodile that he described as 1.5m to 2m (4.9 feet to 6.5 feet) of lenght.
He was taken to the hospital with multiple “minor lacerations”.
Authorities said the man was lucky to escape without more serious injuries.
Critical care paramedic Paul Sweeney said the man was “incredibly calm” when emergency personnel arrived on Thursday.
“What he told us was that a crocodile bit his head and in his effort to remove the crocodile’s jaws, he put his hands up to try to separate them. In the process of trying to remove his hands, the jaws closed on his index finger. “he told reporters.
Mr. Sweeney said that after the attack, the man swam a considerable distance back to shore and pulled himself to shore.
“It was clear from our assessment of him that there were hole marks [on his head],” he said.
He was later taken to Cairns Hospital, where an official told the BBC that he was in a stable condition.
Sweeney told reporters that the man – whose name has not been publicly released – swam in the lake three times a week for about eight years, and said that “I would not be surprised if he ventured out into these waters again to exercise”.
The Queensland Department of Environment said it was sending wildlife officials to Lake Placid “for more information about the nature of the attack and any additional management action needed”.
“We are reminding people that Lake Placid and the Cairns region are known as Croc Country and we encourage people in the region to always be Crocwise,” the document said.
The department said people should expect crocodiles on all canals in northern Queensland, and recommended that they avoid the use of canoes and kayaks and stay away from the water’s edge while fishing, among other guidelines.