LURKING KILLERS
Inside the croc attack capital of the world where dozens are dragged to their deaths by beasts hiding in watering holes
The latest victim, Rozi, was left with a half-chewed calf - and he was one of the lucky ones
A REMOTE island is being terrorised by 22ft crocodiles hiding in watering holes and dragging children to their deaths.
Bangka Island in Indonesia is quickly becoming the crocodile attack capital of the world.
7
7
7
7
The island alone has seen some of the most savage attacks the world has ever witnessed - and Indonesia has had almost 10 times more saltwater crocodile attacks than any other country.
The ferocious predators can grow to 22ft-long and weigh more than 1,000kg - which makes them the world's largest reptile.
Since 2014, at least 478 people have been killed and another 531 injured in croc attacks - however these figures are believed to be a gross underestimate.
Tin mining has left the landscape littered with craters which fill with rainwater and become home for the spiralling croc population.
reda more on crocs
And - with their habitat shrinking elsewhere - the flesh-hungry beasts are migrating to these pools on Bangka in search for prey.
Although their normal diet includes fish, frogs, and lizards the terrifying reptiles are starting to get a taste for human blood.
Locals often wash their clothes and even bathe in the murky waters putting them at risk of becoming a peckish croc's afternoon snack.
One of the latest victims was Rozi, a 54-year-old miner, who barely escaped with his life.
Most read in The Sun
He was washing his clothes in a muddy pool when a croc sprung up, sunk its teeth into his leg and dragged him deep into the water.
He tried desperately to distract the beast with a prayer while his nephew rushed to rescue him.
He told the the chant seemed to calm the croc down before his relative "punched the crocodile's head."
But this had no effect on the thick-sculled reptile as it continued to chew his flesh.
Rozi screamed desperately for his nephew to fetch a screwdriver as this was the only way he believed he would be saved.
Rozi, who was left with a half-eaten calf and forced to spend months in hospital, is one of the lucky ones.
He described how less than a month after he was attacked a woman was killed while she cleaned meat.
And, when her body was recovered, her arms and legs had been torn off, and only her mutilated torso remained.
It comes after a half-tonne "demon" crocodile was captured on Bangka in 2020.
Terrified locals carried the 4.5-metre-long monster to a burial site on a bulldozer.
They had hunted the creature as they believed it was an evil spirit.
The giant croc died from exhaustion after getting tangled in nets laced with razor-sharp blades.
Locals buried the head and body separately because they believe this stops the "demon" animal returning to "haunt" them
Before the burial, authorities arrived at the scene and found that the crocodile, estimated to be 50 years old, had no teeth.
Septian Garo, head of the local conservation center, said that officials negotiated with the villagers to let them handle the 500kg body but superstitious locals insisted they keep the animal for religious reasons.
The massive crocs have a bite force of 3,700 pounds per square inch - and can easily tear off limbs.
Last year another nightmare occurred when a teenage boy was beheaded and torn apart while fishing with his pals at a lake in another part of Indonesia.
Farjan Idham's body was recovered days later - after the bloodthirsty crocs patrolled his mutilated corpse, blocking rescuers from retrieving the lad.
In many instances, people have been swallowed whole by the crocs, sentencing them to a slow and painful death.
An eight-year-old boy's body was cut out of one of the 26ft-long beasts' stomach after the animal swallowed the child whole in front of his dad.
Dimas Saputra was dragged into murky water as his dad frantically swam after the huge reptile, say reports.
Another 16.5ft long beast pounced on Devi Binti Sulaiman, 17, while she was cooling off with friends near the Sebamban River in South Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The croc swallowed the girl whole with its massive jaws.
And one crocodile killed a young girl in front of her horrified friends while she was out swimming.
According to reports, the teen and her friends were washing their clothes in the river before diving in the water to play.
Her pals then watched helplessly and rushed to call their parents for help as Maria disappeared underwater.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It seems there is no end in sight for the people of Indonesia as according to Endi Riadi, head of the Alobi Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Centre on Bangka Island, these vicious attacks are becoming "far more frequent".
He told the telegraph: “I think as long as mining is happening at scale and damaging the environment and the crocodile habitats, this very huge conflict is going to continue.”
7
7
7
Topics