Sweetheart (Crocodile)
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There was a series of attacks, between September 1978 and July 1979, when a large male crocodile called "Sweetheart" started attacking boats. Fact and fiction have become somewhat intertwined with this animal, because the billabong in which it resided contained more than one large crocodile. Although it is 1979, an even larger saltwater crocodile was caught alive in 1984 in a billabong a few kilometres from the site of Sweetheart's attacks. This crocodile is now a tourist attraction in Queensland. It was the right size and it has a damaged snout, consistent with injuries one would expect from biting propellers. However, given that between 1970 and 1984 numerous boats attacked , it seems likely that the new crocodile is an impostor and that the real sweetheart died soon after capture. Where the story of Sweetheart really begins is a little unclear.
Stringer's book The Saga of Sweetheart and Hugh Edward's Crocodile Attack, a number of previous attacks in the same region have been attributed to the same crocodile. It all happened in Sweet's Lookout Billabong; a deep billabong in the Finniss River, about 9 km long and 100m wide at the widest part. Much of it is surrounded by a tall paperbark forest, now totally choked with the introduced thorn bush, Mimosa pigra. Historically, much of the billabong was covered in floating mats of vegetation, but in 1978 these were almost non-existent because of the effects of over grazing by buffalo. The first attack consistent with Sweetheart occurred in 1974. Three people were fishing from a boat at night when the crocodile surfaced, grabbed the cowling of the outboard motor and shook the boat violently. One person was thrown out but clambered back in; when another started the engine, the crocodile attacked the propeller. In 1976, a similar attacked occurred; this time the crocodile damaged the cowling and punctured the aluminium hull. That same year, he slammed into a fishing boat from underneath, turning it around before surfacing beside it. In 1978 he attacked a moored boat, damaging the outboard engine- something that may be quite significant. That same year he sank a fishing boat and continued to attack
BOAT CROC'S BITING DAYS OVER A 5.10 metre crocodile which had terrorised fisherman in the Sweets lookout area is dead. It was caught yesterday by a team from the Territory Parks and Wildlife Commission. The team set out to catch the crocodile after its latest attack on a dinghy on Saturday. It was decided it would have to be caught because it was a menace to people fishing in the area.
HOW HE DIED Sweetheart was finally caught in July 1979, but died soon after capture. Recent studies indicate that prolonged struggling during capture can alter the blood chemistry of very large crocodiles to such a point that they can not recover. And this may have been the cause of Sweetheart's death.
CROCODILE ATTACKS Although saltwater crocodiles rarely interfere with people who are fishing. It is wise to follow a few simple rules of safety.
WHERE HE IS NOW Sweetheart's body and skeleton are now a major display at the Northern Territory Museum and Art Galleries of the N.T.
References
Grahame Webb, Australian crocodiles: A Natural History, Reed, Australia 1989.
Picture original drawing by Judy Kendell and Edwin Butcher, Herberton, Queensland, Australia
