2002 Darwin Awards

Named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, the Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it.

Midnight Snack 2002 Darwin Award Nominee Confirmed True by Darwin Disqualified 27 March 2003 (23 October 2002, Australia) What, besides beer, is Australia's most recognizable symbol? Saltwater crocodiles, of course, as popularized by "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin. And what is the most popular tourist activity? Why, viewing these amazing beauties in their natural habitat! Tourists from around the world visit the wild places of Australia in search of this reptilian predator, so open water is routinely posted with graphic warning signs that remind people that swimming with these carnivores is not a good idea. The signs typically show a human figure caught between the jaws of a "saltie." The blunt graphic has proven quite effective... at least, until now. As usual, the billabong was clearly posted with toothy danger signs. As usual, Gondwana Adventure Tours had presented an hour of safety instruction. Despite these precautions, a young German woman was about to get more adventure than than she bargained for that warm spring evening. Police Commander Max Pope stated, "The warm night, the full moon... the billabong looked idyllic." But danger in the form of a 12-foot saltie lurked beneath the tranquility. The next morning, "the crocodile was located still holding the deceased. It was harpooned by wildlife officers." For both woman and crocodile, the idyllic days of summer ended with a midnight snack. (Crocodiles once fled from humans, but frequent contact and a ban on hunting has caused them to lose their fear, and tourist boats are compounding the danger by teaching them to jump for food.) DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2005 Submitted by: Jbearlaw Reference: Reuters DISQUALIFIED 27 March 2003: News reports revealed that the tour guide had assured his group that it was safe to swim in the billabong, as only a less aggressive species of freshwater crocodiles was found in the billabong. The guide himself had swum there earlier that day. A Northern Territory court found the tour guide guilty of "committing a dangerous omission" causing the woman's death. Therefore, the tourist was victim of bad information from a trusted source, and is not eligible for a Darwin Award. Read the full discussion.

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