Every surfer has imagined the dreaded shark sighting – or worse: an encounter, attack, nibble, scuffle, fight-for-your-life brawl, or what-have-you.
But in parts of the Indian Ocean, there’s another apex predator that strikes even more fear than even the hungriest sharks – the saltwater crocodile.
A resurfaced video from Sri Lanka shows exactly why.
The footage, originally shared a few months back by surf coach Jacob Mellish, captures a peaceful lineup turning into chaos as surfers suddenly spot a crocodile cruising through the waves. Immediately, surfers paddle for the boat, and the session comes to an abrupt end.
“Getting chased out of the water by the locals,” Mellish quipped in the caption.
Then comes a curious twist.
Without any explanation, the video ends by showing what appears to be a dead—or possibly tranquilized—crocodile being loaded into the back of a pickup truck. It’s unclear whether it’s the same animal that cleared the lineup, and no additional context is provided.
“A normal day in Sri Lanka,” the video reads at this point, underscoring the frequent presence of the reptilian beasts in the region.
Related: Giant Crocodile Spotted at One of the World’s Best Surf Breaks (Video)
Crocodile encounters in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia remain a very real, ongoing threat. Just last month in Indonesia’s Mentawai Islands, World Surf League stars Jack Robinson, Leonardo Fioravanti, and Kanoa Igarashi spotted a massive crocodile emerging from an estuary right beside the world-famous wave at Macaronis during a strike trip between CT events.
“It’s there all the time in the estuary near Macca’s Resort,” 11x world champ Kelly Slater commented on the clip.
For many watermen, sharing a lineup with a giant reptile is the ultimate dealbreaker.
Once again, Slater once admitted he would “absolutely” rather surf shark-infested waters than share waves with crocodiles. While sharks are terrifying enough, an aggressive ambush predator lurking in the surf is a nightmare no surfer ever wants to face.
And crocs have been known to be far more aggressive, much more dangerous and reckless.
Just a friendly reminder if you’re heading into croc country any time soon.
Related: 10ft Crocodile Spotted in Surfing Paradise, the Mentawai Islands (Video)
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