The Saltwater Croc Threat | Primal Survivor
I'm traveling along the Araund River in Papua New Guinea, and I'm now over halfway to my destination—a village that a generation ago practiced one of the darkest customs of all: cannibalism. A place where young men would be sent out to bring back the head of an enemy, scraping out the brains and boiling them up into a soup fit for a warrior.
As I make my way towards my goal, the rainforest slowly begins to fall away. Out in open water, I'm instantly free from the oppressive humidity of the river and swamps. I've now completed the first part of my journey, but things are about to get even tougher. In these lakes, this is the territory of the giant crocodiles. You don't see them now; they come out at night to feed, but I know they're out there.
This region of Papua New Guinea provides the perfect habitat for both freshwater monsters and the most feared predator of all: the saltwater crocodile. Back in the village, I met a man called Lester with a terrifying story.
“Ten years ago, his mother was paddling a canoe in this area when a saltwater crocodile attacked. It leapt out of the water without warning and crushed her skull in its jaws. She died instantly.”
“How big?”
“Very big, like this canoe. The size of this canoe. Yeah, huge. Very big.”
“What's the best way to keep me safe from crocodiles?”
He tells me to watch the water carefully. If there's fish running away, if they're even jumping out of the water, it may be a sign that crocodiles are coming.