Fisherman wades in crocodile infested waters at Shady Camp, sparking widespread outrage over reckless act

Astonishing footage has emerged of an Aussie fisherman wading in crocodile infested waters as his wife and child watched on. 

The man was seen standing in the water at Shady Camp, a popular camping and fishing spot on the Mary River in the Northern Territory.

It’s also home to the largest population of saltwater crocodiles in the world.

Footage of the reckless act was uploaded to Instagram on Saturday by popular wildlife expert and tour guide Damian ‘Wildman’ Duffy. 

The clip showed the man, who was wearing a T-shirt, board shorts and a dark coloured baseball cap, holding a fishing rod while standing in the river.

Mr Duffy blasted the man and is heard calling him an idiot in the footage.

He later told viewers he was was ‘p***** off’ after he warned the fisherman that he would die  if he gets caught by a crocodile lurking in the river. 

‘I said ‘mate you want to get back from the water’s edge, these animals can swim pretty quick’ and he’s like ‘yeah righto’, Mr Duffy recalled. 

The man was capturing fishing in the water (pictured) at Shady Camp, located in the Mary River National Park, in the Northern Territory recently

‘I’m like ‘no not righto, you don’t seem to understand what I’m trying to tell you here’.

Mr Duffy said he warned the man he could ‘get killed in front of his missus and kid’ if a crocodile comes out of the water. 

‘He was was like ‘yeah mate righto, righto,’ he said. 

‘You can’t fix stupid…it’s going to be horrible for his missus and kid’.  

Dozens of viewers were also unimpressed by the man’s reckless behaviour. 

‘Carelessness and irresponsibility in the bush,’ one wrote. 

Another added: ‘That’s just crazy. People have to listen.’

A third commented: ‘You can tell them once after that they are on their own,’ a third chimed in. 

The footage was another reminder to tourists heading to Shady Camp (pictured) to be croc safe

The footage was another reminder to tourists heading to Shady Camp (pictured) to be croc safe

Other viewers commended Mr Duffy on his efforts to warn the fisherman about the lurking dangers, even though he chose to ignore him.

‘Good advice mate and [you are] right you can’t fix stupid it’s [forever],’ one wrote. 

‘You did what you could,’ another wrote. 

Mr Duffy also urged viewers to be aware of warning signs when entering crocodile country. 

‘I literally watched a large saltie launch after something not 20m from here about an hour beforehand,’ he captioned the footage.

‘No fish is worth your life, legends. Stay out of the bloody water in the Top End!’

Home to largest population of saltwater crocodiles in the world, there are 15 saltwater crocodiles per kilometre that live in the Mary River. 

Shady Camp (pictured), which is a popular camping and fishing spot, is home to the largest population of saltwater crocodiles in the world

There are around five crocodiles on average per kilometre in most rivers in the Top End

Shady Camp is also a popular spot for camping and fishing among locals and visitors and people often hunt for barramundi. 

Australia is home to around 200,000 saltwater crocodiles and they are the most dangerous species. 

The powerful predators can grow up to seven metres long and they can wait for up to an hour in the water in a bid to catch their prey. 

Locals and visitors are urged heed crocodile warnings signs in designated areas marked as crocodile country. 

Tips to stay safe from crocodiles

Stay five metres away from the edge of the water

Crocodiles hunt for their prey at the edge of waterways. 

Visitors who move close to the edge of waterways are advised to place a sturdy object such as a tree or a large rock between themselves and the water’s edge. 

Dispose of food and food scraps

Crocodiles are attracted to discarded food items. 

Food, fish scraps and bait should always be thrown away responsibly to avoid attracting the creatures onto the shore. 

Keep all pets on a leash and away from the edge of the water

Pets and animals should not be allowed to roam near the water’s edge as they are easy targets for crocodiles.   

Do not use small watercraft such as kayaks when travelling in the water

Watercraft such as kayaks and paddleboards do not safeguard visitors who enter the water. 

Crocodiles can easily overturn these types of small vessels. 

 Stay well away from crocodile traps

These traps are designed to attract crocodiles therefore people need to keep their distance. 

Anyone who deliberately affects the operation of these traps can face fines worth more than $15,000.  

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