Survive an Encounter with a Crocodile or Alligator

Crocodilians--alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and their kin--kill hundreds of people each year.

While most of these attacks occur in Africa and Asia, these powerful reptiles are also found in parts of South America, Australia, and the southern United States. Crocodilians typically do not include humans in their diet, but in truth they will eat just about anything if given the opportunity.

They will also defend their territory vigorously, especially during mating season.

The best way to stay safe in these animals' habitat is to give the creatures space and exercise caution around water where they may live. In the event that you are attacked, you may be able to survive if you fight back strategically.

Steps

 * 1) Stay away from infested waters. Ask local residents and authorities about the presence of crocodiles or alligators in lakes and rivers, and don't go swimming  outside of designated areas or in water where these animals are present.  It's especially important that you avoid entering the water at dusk or at night, when the animals are harder to see and when they most actively hunt.
 * 2) Be aware of your surroundings. If you're going to be in or around water in an area where crocodilians roam, it's imperative to remain vigilant at all times. Alligators and crocodiles can hide themselves very well in water, often keeping only their eyes and nostrils above water or submerging entirely.  Do not dangle arms or legs off a boat into the water.  Keep your distance from the water when walking on shore--crocodilians frequently attack fishermen and people gathering water on the shore--and avoid thick vegetation that provides these animals with good cover.
 * 3) Stay at least fifteen feet away from alligators or crocodiles. Once you've spotted them, give crocodilians a wide berth.  Fifteen feet is usually ample on land, but during mating season, it's a good idea to stay even farther away.  Always stay far away from nests or baby crocodilians, as mothers are fiercely defensive.  Crocodilians can produce short bursts of speed on land that can take you by surprise if you're too close.  In the water, these animals are far faster than humans and feel more at home, so it's best to give them as much space as possible.
 * 4) Avoid surprising the animals. If you see you're going to come anywhere close to a crocodilian, make noise  by slapping the water with your oars when boating or blowing a whistle, for example. Stay away from riverbanks when coming around bends in a river.  Crocodiles or alligators basking on the shore may attack in self-defense if you surprise them.
 * 5) Run away from the animal. Despite your precautions, you might accidentally come dangerously close to a croc or gator. Fortunately, crocodilians rely on the element of surprise to capture prey, so it's extremely unusual for one of these animals to pursue a person on land.   Crocodiles and alligators, however, are not as sluggish on land as some people believe, though they're not as fast as many other people think, either.  The land speed record for a crocodilian is about 10 miles per hour (about 17 kilometers per hour) and these animals quickly grow tired when running on land, which means that as long as you can see it coming, any teen or adult in decent shape can easily outrun one of these animals.  Run away from the water, as crocodiles and alligators seldom run on land unless they're trying to get back into the water and out of danger.  The commonly-repeated instruction to run in zig-zags is useless: the quickest way to put distance between the animal and you is to run away in a straight line.
 * 6) Fight back if you're attacked. While the normal behavior of crocodilians is to bite a potential meal (you) and hold on until forcibly removed, they will sometimes (particularly when defending young or territory) deliver a single, quick defensive bite and then immediately let go.  If this occurs, just try to get away from the animal as quickly as possible.  In predatory attacks, however, as well as in some defensive attacks, the animal doesn't let go and will often try to drag a person into the water or underwater.  Crocodilians can stay underwater for much longer than humans can, so the only hope of survival if you're attacked in this manner is to fight back and get away.  Simply struggling and trying to pull free is usually futile and may induce the animal to go into an underwater death roll, during which an arm or leg stuck in the crocodile's mouth will likely be ripped off.  A purposeful, deliberate attack on the animal is therefore a better option. However, there is a pouch in the throat of the alligator which keeps it from drowning and you can stick your arm down its throat and release it and it will have to let you go or die.
 * 7) *Go for the eyes. The most vulnerable part of a crocodile's or alligator's body is its eyes.  Try to hit or poke the eyes with whatever you have handy: an oar, a stick, or a knife.  Even your hands can be effective weapons if you can hit the animal's eyes.  A Florida teenager recently escaped an alligator that had dragged him into the water by jamming his thumb into the alligator's eye.
 * 8) *Go for the nostrils or ears. While not as sensitive as the eyes, the nostrils and ears can be effectively attacked.  A hard blow or a cut to either of these areas may cause the animal to release you.  Many people have been saved from a crocodile's or alligator's jaws when other people have hit the animal's snout with a pole or club.
 * 9) *Go for the palatal valve. Crocodilians have a flap of tissue behind the tongue that covers their throats when they submerge in water. This flap prevents water from flowing into their throats and hence prevents the crocodile from drowning when its mouth is open.  If your arm or leg is stuck in a crocodile's mouth, you may be able to pry this valve down.  Water will then flow into the crocodile's throat, and animal will most likely let you go.  Hard strikes to this valve may also cause the animals to release you.
 * 10) Get medical attention promptly. A crocodilian's mouth harbors a tremendous amount of bacteria, and infection is almost guaranteed if a bite is not treated promptly.

Tips

 * Alligators generally have broad, shovel-like snouts, while crocodiles have pointier snouts. Alligators are found in parts of the U.S. and in Southern China.
 * Keep pets safe in crocodilian country. Don't let pets swim in water which is inhabited by crocodiles or alligators, and keep dogs on a leash when walking in these animals' habitat.  Pets are frequently attacked by crocodilians, and you may also be attacked if your pet harasses one of these animals or catches its attention as potential prey.
 * Crocodiles and alligators feel safest in the water, so if you're boating and come upon these animals on land, they will probably slip into the water. This can be frightening, as it may appear that they are attacking, but usually they are just going underwater to hide, and they'll stay there until you're gone.  Still, try to leave the area quickly, and don't venture into the water or dangle your arms or legs overboard.
 * Crocodilians have been known to attack small boats, particularly canoes, but then leave the human occupants alone even when they're thrown into the water. It is believed that crocodiles or alligators looking up from underwater may see a boat and think it is another crocodile or alligator.  They then attack the boat as a territorial defense.
 * Crocodilians are capable of memorising traveling routes and camp sites. When camping in these animals' habitat, set up camp well away from water, and do not litter the area with food scraps.  If you must approach or enter the water to collect water, wash dishes, or bathe, do so with caution and avoid entering the same place each time.  Crocodiles or alligators may sense the presence of food odors from washed dishes or may notice you collecting water from a distance and thus may lie in wait for the next time you come to the same spot.
 * The jaws of alligators or crocodiles are very strong when they close but they have seriously weak muscles for opening their jaws, so if you hold on to a closed alligators mouth with two hands it will never be able to open them. but remember the body can still move dangerously, so it can release itself.

Warnings

 * Never feed crocodilians, either intentionally or unintentionally (i.e. by littering or leaving food scraps near camp or near water). Feeding these animals can cause them to lose their fear of humans and see people as a food source.  It can also lead to an immediate attack if the person feeding them gets too close.
 * Crocodiles and alligators do see people as prey, so unprovoked attacks may occur. Salt Water Crocodiles, found in Australia and Asia, and Africa's Nile crocodiles are particularly well-known for attacking humans and sometimes seem attracted to the sound of outboard motors (although it has been theorized that they attack boats as a territorial defense because the motors sound like other crocodiles).
 * If the crocodile grabs an arm or leg, it will try to roll and twist it off. Be ready to immediately start twisting or rolling in the same direction.
 * In places such as the Northern Australia Coast, where Crocodiles live, just because there isn't a crocodile sign around doesn't always mean you are safe. Crocodiles venture into the ocean and into streams and rivers where they are unexpected.
 * Do anything to not get pulled into the water by a crocodile or alligator. They are stronger than you and getting pulled into the water will cause you to suffocate.

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Prevent or Survive a Monkey Attack
 * How to Escape from a Bear
 * How to Safely Swim With Piranhas
 * How to Run Faster
 * How to Watch Wildlife
 * How to Handle a Dog Attack
 * How to Kill a Crocodile

Sources and Citations

 * University of Florida A wealth of information on alligators
 * Animal Planet Crocodile information
 * Wilderness Medical Society An analysis of crocodile attacks in Australia