Drunk Australian pats, rides crocodiles

MELBOURNE - A drunk Australian decided to pat a crocodile. Not satisfied with just that, he went ahead and sat on a massive crocodile who didn’t take kindly to the unexpected visitor and gave him a nasty bite on his leg.

The drunk man, who was shown the door from a tavern in the Australian city of Broome, entered a wildlife park and sat on a five-metre crocodile called Fatso. He earlier tried patting a neighbouring female crocodile Monday night.

The 36-year-old man told the police that he climbed into the crocodile enclosure as he wanted to give him a pat.

He crept up behind the 800-kg crocodile, sat on its back and tried to pat it when it bit him viciously near his right knee.

The Age quoted Sergeant Roger Haynes as saying that the drunk man “made his way into the crocodile park and then climbed into the compound with a large, male five-metre saltwater croc named Fatso”.

“He has attempted to sit on its back and the croc has taken offence to that and has spun around and bit him on the right leg. For an unknown reason, the crocodile has let him go and he’s managed to scale the fence and exit the park.”

Police spokesperson Julie Hansen said 80-year-old Fatso had not been the man’s first choice. He first broke into a compound containing two crocodiles and after failing to get the attention of the female crocodile, he then climbed into Fatso’s enclosure.

Despite being bitten, the man managed to come out and made his way back to a nearby tavern to get help.

Haynes said: “No person in their right mind would try to sit on a five-metre crocodile.”

He said the man had some “very nasty lacerations”.

“Saltwater crocodiles … once they get hold of you, are not renowned for letting you go. He’s lucky to have escaped with his life.”