Face of a crocodile, underwater... up close, also what to do if you hook a crocodile while fishing
I was not in a cage. My heart was letting me know how excited I was. Kate was behind me with a broomstick in case the situation got nasty. He's lucky she didn't have to hurt him with it.
35mm 5.6, Cannon G-16 in Iklite case.
Here's what to do if you are a fishermen accidentally hooking crocodiles and we want to touch on some basic protocols for your own safety, as well as the crocodiles, if you ever find yourself in such a situation.
1. Reel the crocodile in slowly and as gently as possible to prevent the hook from digging in deeper and causing more damage. Leave enough length to keep a safe distance from the croc, but not enough so that the croc can get the line tangled in trees or debris in the area.
2. Avoid cutting the line and releasing the hooked crocodile. A hook left embedded in a croc can lead to its slow and painful death.
3. Call for help. It is NOT recommended you try to remove the hook yourself, as crocodiles have the strongest bite in the animal kingdom and will defend themselves if they feel threatened. Instead, contact us - 623-7920 or 637-8769. We will answer your call anytime, day or night. Don't be shy, we are happy to help walk you through how to safety proceed, and if you're on Ambergris Caye we will gladly jump out of bed and rush to assist you.
Happy fishing! We hope you never hook a croc, but we know now you are better equipped to handle it if you do!
ACES / American Crocodile Education Sanctuary
Photograph by Elbert Greer
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