Alligator Attack - Defense Fundamentals

[vladimir]

I'd be interested in some documentation concerning the danger to humans of "very large constricting snakes."

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one. When I was staying on Loloata Island in PNG, Dik Knight, the proprietor, regaled me with stories of a resident boa eating all the wallabees on the island (and a couple of goats as well, IIRC.) It apparently left the island before consuming any guests, however.

 

[Digger54]

well, back in the day...we used to go to Ross Allen's reptile institute and "Tarzan" wrestled them there.

Back in the day..... As a young teen I used to snorkel in the old Silver Springs where Ross Allens was. They've not allowed swimmers in there in a while. (The've been diverted over to the water park) Do you go back that far, Catherine?

 

[Thalassamania]

I wouldn't hold my breath on this one. When I was staying on Loloata Island in PNG, Dik Knight, the proprietor, regaled me with stories of a resident boa eating all the wallabees on the island (and a couple of goats as well, IIRC.) It apparently left the island before consuming any guests, however.

"I'll sit here and drink my Gin and Tonic while Jim wrass'ls the snake." Marlin drawled.<G>

 

[Midnight Star]

Most of those accounts, from what I could tell, were either from eye witnesses close by, or by surmising. Now that I think about, didn't they find human remains in Ana's quite a few years back somewhere in S. America?

-----

Mike.

 

[Thalassamania]

Most of those accounts, from what I could tell, were either from eye witnesses close by, or by surmising. Now that I think about, didn't they find human remains in Ana's quite a few years back somewhere in S. America?

-----

Mike.

Maybe your confusing that with the report of finding human remains and a weapons cache near "Logistics Support Area Anaconda."

 

[DandyDon]

Most of those accounts, from what I could tell, were either from eye witnesses close by, or by surmising. Now that I think about, didn't they find human remains in Ana's quite a few years back somewhere in S. America?

-----

Mike.

See: http://www.snopes.com/horrors/animals/anaconda.htm

 

[The Chairman]

Tallahassee For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission







December 6, 2006

FWC TO STAFF: RESEARCH
GATOR MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Contact: Carol Pratt &#8211; cell - (850) 251-2212

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) directed its alligator management staff to meet with stakeholders to find out if better options exist for managing the reptiles.

During Wednesday&#8217;s meeting in Key Largo, Commissioners heard a staff report regarding a recent online survey concerning public attitudes about Florida&#8217;s alligator management program. The report indicated Floridians are fairly evenly divided over whether alligator harvest regulations are too restrictive or too lenient. Public comments during the meeting reflected similar division.

Commissioners unanimously passed a motion to continue gathering public input to evaluate all possible options for improving management and to report back at a later meeting.

 

[vladimir]

OK, the markets are pretty dead today, so I have a little time on my hands. I remember reading this in the Straits Times when I lived in Singapore, accompanied by a grainy picture of the victim shoulder deep in the snake's mouth, and I managed to dig it up in "Herp News Around the World."

A 23-foot-long python in Malaysia "attacked" and "squeezed a plantation worker to death and tried to swallow him" according to the Associated Press. Police shot and killed the python, which was the longest reported in Malaysia, according to a zoologist at the University of Malaya. At the time the python was killed, it had swallowed the victim's head and crushed some of his bones, according to the brother of the deceased human. From the description and location, the snake was probably a reticulated python, Python reticulatus, according to contributor Mark Paul Henderson. [Spokesman-Review, September 6, 1995 from Mark Paul Henderson, and Telerate News and Features, September 7 from Robert J. Paluch] After this unfortunate event, Malaysians were gripped by python-phobia apparently spurred by photos of plump pythons being captured after eating chickens, pigs, or dogs. Last year 36,000 pythons were legally killed by skin-trade hunters, officials worry that the bad publicity will result in illegal harvesting. Officials try to reassure the public. One said that a python is "a nice creature if it's not eating you." The only other recorded python-induced human fatality was in 1985. [The Wall Street Journal, October 23, 1995 from P.L. Beltz]

 

[Thalassamania]

I've had a bit of experience with very large snakes and I find it hard to belive that one has ever killed an adult human. It is not difficult to unwarp the snake as it tries to wrap around you, though bites do hurt. The famous episode where Jim Fowler wrestled the snake was completly staged (according to Jim) and they had trouble getting the freaked out snake wrapped around him. Once they did Jim held onto its head and alternated between throwing himself down in the river and standing up. Rather hard on the poor snake.

The episode went something like this: Humorous Notes - Wild Kingdom: Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, Wrestling the Anaconda

 

[vladimir]

That's good stuff. I think the phrase, "Look at the body on that snake" is a sign of Marlin's particular brand of perversion. I also enjoyed picturing him calmly narrating, "You go, Jim. You can do this. Whoops. Jim's in a spot of trouble again." as Jim wrestles the anaconda.