Man survives crocodile attack by biting reptile's eyelid: 'Shook me like a rag doll'

The man said that as he was trying to rescue himself from the crocodile, his teeth got stuck in the reptile's eyelid. (Representational Image).

An Australian farmer survived a saltwater crocodile attack by biting the reptile's eyelid which enabled him to escape from being eaten alive, a report in The Independent said.

Colin Deveraux was attacked by a 3.2 metre long crocodile while he was travelling to put up some fencing near the Finness River in Northern Territory in October.

The farmer, who was in his sixties as described by local broadcaster ABC, had stopped by a lake when he saw fish swimming in the middle of its receded water. As the man started to move away, the reptile caught his right foot.

"It was a big grab and he shook me like a rag doll and took off back into the water, pulling me in," Deveraux told ABC.

The man said that as he was trying to rescue himself from the crocodile, his teeth got stuck in the reptile's eyelid and when he jerked backwards, the crocodile let him go. "I was in such an awkward position. but by accident, my teeth caught his eyelid. It was pretty thick, like holding onto leather, but I jerked back on his eyelid and he let go," he said.

After he was released by the crocodile, the man ran as fast as he could and saw that the reptile also came behind him for about four metres before retreating. Deveraux's brother rushed him to a hospital, situated 130 km away from the spot where he said that the biggest roadblock for doctors was to remove the bad bacteria.

"Biggest problem was having to clear out all the bad bacteria (from the wound). so all of the billabong water full of mud and crocodile teeth marks," he said.

The reptile attack had such an impact on Deveraux's mind that the incident forced him to look a new profession to earn his daily bread. "It means I've got to change what I do. I've been walking around that swamp country too long fixing fences and living life, but it's opened my eyes," he said.