Crocodile attacks man in Australia

January 20, 2026

Sydney: A man was hospitalised on Tuesday morning after being attacked by a crocodile in Queensland’s tropical far north.

Crocodile attack near Ingham
Emergency services responded to reports of an animal-related incident at a stream near the small town of Ingham, located more than 1,000 km north of Brisbane, at around 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday. According to the Queensland Ambulance Service, the victim, a man in his 20s, was bitten by a crocodile and sustained puncture wounds to his back, legs and one hand.

Victim airlifted to Townsville
The injured man was initially taken to a local hospital in stable condition before being airlifted approximately 100 km to a hospital in Townsville for further treatment, a spokesperson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Rising crocodile population and safety measures
The attack comes weeks after the Queensland government introduced a new crocodile management plan in December, designating wetlands around Ingham as an active removal zone. Under the plan, crocodiles found during proactive patrols by Parks and Wildlife Service officers can be removed to improve public safety. Queensland Environment and Tourism Minister Andrew Powell said the expanded patrols and removal areas aim to strike a balance between conservation and community safety.

Queensland is estimated to be home to up to 30,000 crocodiles, excluding hatchlings. Crocodile attacks have increased in recent decades as protected populations recover and human activity expands into their habitats. In Australia, crocodiles have killed 30 people in the past 25 years, with fatalities peaking at four in 2014, compared to 14 deaths recorded between the 1970s and the early 2000s.