An Australian farmer fought off an attack by a 10-foot crocodile by biting its eyelid

• An Australian man was attacked by a 10-foot-long crocodile.
• He said he fended off the attack by biting the animal's eyelid.

An Australian cattle producer said he fought off an attack from a 10-foot-long crocodile by biting the animal's eyelid.

Colin Deveraux, who's in his mid-60s, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the attack happened near the Finniss River in Australia's Northern Territory. Before the attack, he noticed fish swimming in stagnant water.

"The water had receded and it was down to this dirty water in the middle," Deveraux said, adding that he took two steps when the crocodile rushed him and "latched onto" his right foot.

"It was a big grab and he shook me like a rag doll and took off back into the water, pulling me in," he said.

During the attack, which Deveraux said lasted about eight seconds, he tried to bite the crocodile and kick it in the ribs.

"I was in such an awkward position but by accident my teeth caught his eyelid. It was pretty thick, like holding onto leather, but I jerked back on his eyelid and he let go," he said.

"I leapt away and took off with great steps up to where my car was. He chased me for a bit, maybe four metres, but then stopped," he added.

His brother then took him to the hospital, where he has been recovering for nearly a month.

Deveraux said the biggest problem was clearing out the bad bacteria from his wounds because the body of water had been full of mud and goose and duck feces.

He said that the crocodile had since been "removed," adding that he was thinking about changing his job after the attack.

"It means I've got to change what I do. I've been walking around that swamp country too long fixing fences and living life, but it's opened my eyes," he said.

Brandon Sideau, a crocodile-management expert, told The New York Times that the best way out for a person unlucky enough to find themselves clamped in the vice-like jaws of a crocodile was to gouge its eyes.

"That will, in many cases, result in the crocodile letting go of the victim," Sideau said. "The second most common one I see is punching the snout, which sometimes will make them let go."