Crocodile named ‘Michael Jackson’ kills fisherman in Australia

An unusually-colored crocodile named “Michael Jackson” is responsible for killing a fisherman in Australia.
CNN reports that the 57-year-old man was attacked by the pale-headed saltwater crocodile in Australia’s Northern Territory on Aug. 18. The crocodile was killed later by park rangers and police.

It is believed that the man was attacked when he went into the water to retrieve his fishing gear. Five companies operate crocodile cruises in the area and a representative of Spectacular Jumping Crocodile Cruise told CNN that it was the first time in 20 years of working as a guide that such an incident had occurred.

The crocodile was named Michael Jackson because of his pale skin. The singer Michael Jackson suffered from a skin condition vitiligo, which caused parts of his skin to lighten over time. The crocodile was familiar to residents and researchers in the area.

One of those researchers says that ‘Michael Jackson’ was an “old, beaten-up, battled-scarred crocodile” that was missing part of its tail and two limbs.

The crocodile was killed partly because research has shown that once a croc kills a human, it is more likely to do so again.

According to the Daily Mail, a woman who started a conservation group for crocodiles received five death threats from local fisherman after the man’s death. The death threats were supposedly made via Facebook.

The woman didn’t start the conservation group until after the man was killed. According to the Daily Mail, the woman was against the killing of ‘Michael Jackson’ and wanted him to be captured instead. She also described the crocodile as being “very dear to my heart.”

Bob Irwin, the father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, says that he received various threats over the years for his work with crocodiles and he supports the woman and her conservation group.

By Joyce Lupiani. CREATED Aug 28, 2014