Man ‘humbled' by interaction with giant crocodile; controversy follows

USA Today

4 days ago

A wildlife enthusiast along the lines of Steve Irwin enjoyed a close-up interaction with a huge crocodile on the island of Timor and called it a 'humbling experience.'
Damian 'Wildman' Duffy, an Australian who is a wildlife guide, was filmed coming up behind a 14.5-foot crocodile known as Boy in the Southeast Asian country of Timor-Leste.
As the crocodile slowly makes its way back into the water, Duffy holds its tail and jokingly says, 'Come back, I just want to talk to you.'
He then emphatically adds, 'Never ever do that…One of the most magical experiences of my life. Would I do it again? Yes. But should you do it? No.'
The video was posted on Duffy's Instagram and Facebook pages, where he wrote, 'What an absolutely humbling experience. This large male Saltwater Crocodile allowed me to share space with him for a few brief moments, and it was hands down one of the most incredible experiences of my life. If he didn't want me touching him, he'd have reacted very differently.'
The online reaction, however, was not kind. People were critical of his actions, essentially saying it was setting a bad example for those without commonsense.
Among the comments:
'Love the vids but can't say I love the contradicting messages about safety.'
'We know not to attempt this because we've been educated but we also know posting this material can be encouraging for others to recreate it with less knowledge or precautions in place.'
'How about you adhere to your own advice.'
'This is why women live longer.'
'This guy is going to be featured in The Darwin Awards eventually.'
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Duffy defended his actions, and he does tell people 'do what I say, not what I do.'
Among his replies to the critics:
'One of the bigger reasons I do what I do is to showcase what these animals are capable of, and encourage others to behave responsibly around them.'
'I don't assume common sense at all. I constantly and consistently encourage people NOT to behave irresponsibly around crocs. I constantly showcase their capabilities, and share knowledge and information about crocs, snakes etc. The more people learn, the better choices they'll make. I'm a trained professional, I have the experience and skillset to do what I do.'
'How many kids died trying to do what Steve Irwin did? He was literally diving off boats on top of crocs in muddy creeks. It's literally the same thing, mate. Education through interaction works.'
'I literally tell people not to do what I do, and I explain why. I showcase their capabilities and explain what happens if things go wrong. It's a pretty effective method of wildlife education.'
Photo courtesy of Damian Duffy.