Man vs. Beast II

[Thesemindz]

Ok, Cobra, as much as it pains me to post this, I had to in the interest of being "fair and balanced."


The Associated Press
Updated: 3:44 p.m. ET May 20, 2004 DELTONA, Fla.

An alligator dragged a 12-year-old swimmer underwater in a lake, but the boy punched the reptile and swam safely to shore.

Malcolm Locke was treated for cuts and scrapes that were not considered life-threatening.

He was bitten while swimming Wednesday in Lake Diana, near his grandmother’s house just north of Orlando.

He saw the alligator’s tail first, he said. “It was coming right at me,” he told NBC’s “Today” show Thursday.

Malcolm, who is 5 feet, 4 inches tall, tried to swim away, but the alligator, which was 4 to 6 feet long, attacked his head and pulled him underwater, officials said.

“It took a bite out of my head and a big chunk out of my ear,” Malcolm said.

He punched the alligator, and “it just squirmed away,” he said. He swam to shore, and a neighbor drove him to a hospital.

A trapper was sent to the lake to remove the alligator.

The boy’s mother, Misty Warren, said the family has seen alligators in the area before, but none had ever bothered them.

The best thing to do during an alligator attack is struggle, make noise and create confusion, said Joy Hill, a spokeswoman for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Malcolm did the right thing,” Hill said. “He fought the alligator, and it let him go.”




There you go. Sometimes a human can win. Notice that the gator let him go.


-Rob

 

[KenpoTex]

Interesting...that kid definately got lucky. This got me curious so I did a little bit of research on alligator attacks. According to the Florida Conservation and Wildlife department, only 13 people have been killed by alligators since 1948. Most of those killed by alligators were either kids or elderly people who couldn't fight back as well. The smallest alligator involved in the fatal attacks was 6'6" long (the victim was a 2 year-old). Other than that it seems that most small alligators won't attack a human unless they are provoked (the next smallest was 7 feet, the others averaged about 10 or 11). Since the average gator ends up somewhere between 9 and 16 feet in length the one that attacked this kid was obviously relatively small(luckily for him). It probably retreated because it didn't have a good grip on his head (based on the fact that it just took some skin), if it had gotten a good grip the kid probably wouldn't have made it because the alligator will usually go into what is known as a "death-roll" where they thrash around under water to break bones and dismember their prey.

edit to add: here's the link to the gator attack site.
http://wildflorida.org/gators/nuisance/Attack Sheet.pdf

 

[OULobo]

I do know that there was a recent case of a younger teen deffending against a bear by punching it repeatedly in the snout. I'll see of I can find the article.

 

[someguy]

Basically its the whol;e don't give up thing. If those animals had REALLY wanted to kill they would have but they didn't want much of a fight.

 

[Gentle Fist]

wow, that boy was very lucky... I would assume that if the aligator really wanted to eat, it would have stopped at nothing to kill and eat him.

 

[7starmantis]

Yes, it does seem luck was on his side. Still, fighting at any point is worthwhile. They even teach for shark attacks to punch in the nose, alot (or at least some) of the times they will decide it isn't worth it and leave you alone, of course not without having tore you up a bit probably, but none the less alive. Its just a matter of fighting, always fighting, never give up.


7sm

 

[tshadowchaser]

The will to survive and never give up seems to be the same when attacked by animals or men. Keep fighting, you may not win but you may survive.

 

[7starmantis]

The will to survive and never give up seems to be the same when attacked by animals or men. Keep fighting, you may not win but you may survive.

Very well said and true. Also surviving is winning to me.

7sm

 

[theletch1]

Yes, it does seem luck was on his side. Still, fighting at any point is worthwhile. They even teach for shark attacks to punch in the nose, alot (or at least some) of the times they will decide it isn't worth it and leave you alone, of course not without having tore you up a bit probably, but none the less alive. Its just a matter of fighting, always fighting, never give up.


7sm

Sharks have sensitive snouts and are believed to not much enjoy the taste of human (at least not with out ketchup). Getting punched in the nose while trying to choke down a meal that I really didn't care for would probably make me head for the next restaurant as well. :uhyeah:

 

[OULobo]

Sharks have sensitive snouts and are believed to not much enjoy the taste of human (at least not with out ketchup). Getting punched in the nose while trying to choke down a meal that I really didn't care for would probably make me head for the next restaurant as well. :uhyeah:

Famous Dragon Quote: "Humans, do not mettle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketsup."

 

[Cobra]

I don't want to start up on this topic too much again, I just want to say a few things.

First off, I abhore the idea that we can't defend ourselves against wild animals. I don't think we are completly helpless against them. And I am not talking about the typical couch potatoe. I'm talking about someone who is very active and healthy. In any case, eye gouging or groin strikes can hurt any animal of any size.

Second, I want you guys to examine something about our race. Since the beginning of our kind, we have been the most sucessful predators. In early times in the Americas for example, usally only 5 good hunters of a tribe was enough to bring down a wooley mamoth. Maybe up to 10, but no more. You look at a pride of lions with their weapons, their claws and teeth. Those prides can't take down a elephant (and some prides attack male bull elephants). Where as we use a much smaller number to take down mamoths. In Africa today, men take down dangerous hippos that prove to be a threat to their tribe with long wooden pole like weapons. There are probably 6-8 men doing that. Yet they can take down a hippo, and usally prides of lions can't. In gladitorial combat, gladiators faught lions, tiger, and bears with not a gladius sword. A gladius sword is about the size of a giant knife, about 26-32 inches overall. I can go on. There have been numerous numbers of people reported killing bears in the wild with knives (of course it was when the bear was off-guard). If you do not believe me, go to Google and search for one yourself.

Of course, the time we have overcomed beats, it was with weapons. But they have weapons too, don't they? Their teeth and claws. And yet, we stand the dominant species of the planet. We didn't always have guns. We survived at the top of the food chain, and eventually developed such technologies.

Finally, I just want to know, why are some people on Martial Talk (not all) are so against the idea that human can sucessfully defend themselves with animals? :idunno:

 

[Cruentus]

Wow. Nice job Cobra. Your response was very well verbalized.

I'd say that we humans have been able to overcome animals...with our brians. Our minds are our real weapons. Tribal warriors were able to take down animals in a hunt not out of shear force, or weapon skill, but through intelligent strategy as well.

 

[Cobra]

Wow. Nice job Cobra. Your response was very well verbalized.

I took my time on that one. I usually rush on posts, never spell checking or grammer checking. You know, it would be good if they had a spelling a grammer. I'me too lazy to proof read my messages.

 

[OULobo]

Wow. Nice job Cobra. Your response was very well verbalized.

I'd say that we humans have been able to overcome animals...with our brians. Our minds are our real weapons. Tribal warriors were able to take down animals in a hunt not out of shear force, or weapon skill, but through intelligent strategy as well.

I remember hearing stories as a child of how there are neolithic paintings of early tribes scaring bison to stampede them off of cliffs. Then they just go pick up the mush. . . I mean meat. This seems to me a good example of strategy paying off without the need of weapons.

 

[Cruentus]

I took my time on that one. I usually rush on posts, never spell checking or grammer checking. You know, it would be good if they had a spelling a grammer. I'me too lazy to proof read my messages.

Try writing it in Word, grammer checking, then copy/paste as a new post. Just a suggestion! :asian:

 

[Flatlander]

I remember hearing stories as a child of how there are neolithic paintings of early tribes scaring bison to stampede them off of cliffs. Then they just go pick up the mush. . . I mean meat. This seems to me a good example of strategy paying off without the need of weapons.

I live right by one of those spots. We call it the Buffalo jump.

 

[Kane]

Holy *****! Another one of these threads! This must be a very popular topic!

 

[Silat Student]

I've grown up in florida and (except for a short time in spain) lived here my whole life. Gators are like sharks, they're EVERYWHERE but they rarely attack humans. Most of the attacks that you see are usually a. during mating season or b. the result of tourists feeding the "poor widdle animals". It's amazing what the boy did but a knowledgable person can subdue a gator rather easily if he can get ahold of the mouth. I'm much more afraid of running into a cotton mouth in the water than a gator.

 

[Kane]

I've grown up in florida and (except for a short time in spain) lived here my whole life. Gators are like sharks, they're EVERYWHERE but they rarely attack humans. Most of the attacks that you see are usually a. during mating season or b. the result of tourists feeding the "poor widdle animals". It's amazing what the boy did but a knowledgable person can subdue a gator rather easily if he can get ahold of the mouth. I'm much more afraid of running into a cotton mouth in the water than a gator.

I think the alligator is one animal man can subdue that is around the same size. Gator wrestling teaches some of these techniques such as if you turn a crocodilian on its back it will pass out.

 

[8253]

its survival of the fitist. Mentaly and physically