The video, posted last month by the Cape Don Barramundi fishing lodge in the Northern Territory, records an epic angling saga that pitched man against shark, shark against shark, crocodile against shark and, eventually, man against crocodile.
All appears to be going well when the clip begins, with one of the party land More..ing a fair-sized shark as he fishes off the side of a yacht. Things become more exciting when another shark swims in for an easy lunch, prompting the cameraman to note: "Oh! Another shark's attacking him!"
The valiant angler labours on, and before long the greedy interloper disappears and the thrashing shark is dragged on to the beach with the help of a boathook. But the triumph is short-lived. Within seconds the dark green outline of a saltwater crocodile appears at the water's edge and the reptile dashes on to the beach to make a grab for the shark.
Disaster is averted only by the swift intervention of another member of the fishing party, who leaps towards the thief and delivers a warning blow to its snout with the boathook. Suitably chastised, the croc turns tail and swims off.
The video ends with the slightly shaken group posing for a photo around the unfortunate shark. The man who landed it seems a little distracted and has to be reminded there is a protocol for such occasions. "You've got to do the old put-a-foot-on-its-head thing," the cameraman reminds him.
Crocodiles in the area appear to have realised it is often easier to let the humans do the work. Last November the Northern Territory News reported that a three-metre "saltie" spied on a group of fishermen before tucking into the shark they had just reeled in.
