Myths That Get People Killed

Misinformation kills in crocodilian country, because a false belief feels exactly like a true one right up until the moment it fails. Before we get to the rules of behavior, it is worth dismantling the myths that lead good, sensible people to make fatal choices. Each of these is believed sincerely by someone every year, and each is wrong.

“I’ll see it before it gets me.”

You will not. This is the most dangerous belief of all, because it feels so reasonable. But the entire evolutionary design of crocodilians is built around being invisible until the instant of the strike. One will float with only nostrils and eyes above the surface, or fully submerged, in water too murky to see into. The attack comes from below and from the edge, explosively, at a range of a yard or two. By the time you could possibly see it, the decision has already been made for you. Vigilance is good, but it is not a substitute for staying out of the water.