Australia is famous for having some very dangerous wildlife, but it’s normally crocodiles, snakes or spiders – rather than buffalo that – that are the headline acts in the scary creatures department.
However, there are an estimated 150,000 Asian swamp buffalo living in the Top End and they do occasionally have unfriendly interactions with human visitors. A 61-year-old safari tour guide is now in hospital after being attacked by a buffalo around 170 kilometres north-west of Numbulwar in the remote NT.
The ABC reports that it is believed the buffalo charged at another man who had fallen to the ground, when the tour guide threw himself between the buffalo and the man.
The tour guide suffered lacerations and suspected fractures, and had to be driven back to town before being flown to hospital. According to the ABC, clinic staff from the town of Numbulwar travelled several hours to retrieve the injured man, before he was airlifted to Royal Darwin Hospital. He is now in a stable condition.
These sorts of attacks are not unknown. Nine months ago, a Northern Territory man was gored by a feral bull while hunting in the same area. And last June, a farmer suffered 11 broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a punctured leg and a broken shoulder after being gored by a wild bull in north Queensland.
* Have you ever felt threatened by wildlife on your Big Lap adventure?
Most of my wildlife encounters on the ‘BIG LOOP’ were on the road and not wandering around on foot in the bush, however two (2) incidents do come to mind. The first one was to be chased by wild pigs just south west of Katherine as I happened across an Eagle road kill on the side of the road. Parking the vehicle some way off I walked back to take a look at the road kill. Suddenly I heard loud squealing sounds close behind me. There charging at a great rate of knots were two wild pigs, obviously keen to clean up the road kill they thought I was about to take from them!!! With ‘wind beneath my wings’ I bolted back to the safety of my vehicle just in time…PHEW!.
The second occasion I was near Curtin Springs opposite MT Connor in the NT. I was driving along taking in the beautiful landscape when suddenly racing down the road towards me was a BIG rogue Camel. With legs swinging and mouth foaming he spotted my car. Thinking he would dash off the road when he noticed me I slowed up and tentatively kept driving. Then looking back over my shoulder I found the camel getting up a gallop towards me!!! .Accelerating to ‘WARP’ speed I drove off finally managing to leave that crazy camel behind me!! Again Phew!!! Gwynnie @ matildatraveller
No charging buffalo but have encountered many (over)charging petrol stations and grocery stores on my travels.