Is THIS the reason the killer crocodile bit his father to death? Hunt for ‘stupid’ fishermen feared fatal attack due to ‘irresponsible’ act

Fishermen who fed a 4.9-metre crocodile before it killed a doctor during the family holiday of a lifetime have been accused of being responsible for its death.

Dr David Hogbin, 40, died after being mauled by a crocodile in the Annan River, south of Cooktown in Far North Queensland, on Saturday. He was on holiday in the region with his wife Jane and their three children.

Authorities are now hunting for fishermen who dumped fish remains near Crocodile Bend two weeks before the tragedy.

It is illegal to feed crocodiles in Queensland, as they may come to people for food – and potentially attack.

According to MP Warren Entsch, a former crocodile farmer, those who fed the animals in the area were responsible for Mr Hogbin’s death.

“It’s just plain stupidity and irresponsibility,” he told the Cairns message.

“I think the law should be squarely focused on those who fed the crocodiles. I hope they sleep at night knowing they were responsible for the death of that man and the crocodile itself.

“The animals were there because people fed them. And those who think it’s cool to throw food into the river should be held accountable.”

David Hogbin, 40, is pictured with his wife Jane and their three sons during their unforgettable trip to Far North Queensland

Authorities are now on the hunt for fishermen who were caught dumping fish parts near Crocodile Bend two weeks before the tragedy

Dr Hogbin’s distraught family broke their silence earlier this week and revealed that his final act was to heroically save the life of his wife of ten years.

Although it was initially reported that Dr. Hogbin had fallen into the water while fishing, a friend said he was actually walking along a path on a 50-foot high river bank when a section of ground suddenly gave way beneath him.

“Jane, who was nearby but not walking Dave at the time, heard the splash and slid down to desperately pull him out,” his friend Alex Ward wrote on the fundraiser page.

‘The steepness and slipperiness of the bank allowed Jane to grab his arm, but she began to slide into the river herself.

‘Dave’s final, decisive act was to let go of Jane’s arm when he realised she was sliding inside, an act that probably saved her life. In an earth-shattering moment, Dave was carried off by the crocodile.’

Mr Ward said initial reports that Dr Hogbin had been attacked in front of his children were false and that none of his three sons saw him fall. That is little consolation to his loved ones.

Mr Ward said his family and friends were “completely devastated” by the tragedy but felt “incredibly lucky” to have had him in their lives.

He said Dr Hogbin would be remembered for his ‘enthusiasm and cheerfulness’ and his love of 4WD camping adventures.

Dr Hogbin’s loved ones have revealed that his last act was to save the life of his wife Jane, who desperately tried to pull him from the water

Dr. Hogbin was attacked by a crocodile in front of his wife at the Annan River, south of Cooktown (pictured is a baited crocodile trap placed in the water)

“Dave achieved something we all aspire to: he realized before it was too late that he had everything he needed in life: his family, his friends and the time they could spend together,” Ward said.

‘It was a shared love and discovery of 4WDing that brought me such a close bond with Dave. I’m not sure I could do it without him (he would laugh at me and tell me to get back out there and continue the adventurous legacy he created for his boys)’

Jane Hogbin said her husband touched so many lives and she wanted to speak out to “put a face to this tragedy.”

“Not only has someone been killed by a crocodile, we have also lost a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, friend and doctor,” she told NewsCorp.

‘We were just enjoying a standard day of our vacation and everything changed within 30 seconds. He did nothing wrong – in fact, he did everything right, and yet this happened.

‘Things can change so quickly, even when you do everything right.’

Dr Hogbin was a general practitioner who worked at various medical centres in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW. He was currently based at Jewells Medical Centre.

According to an online profile, his medical interests were primarily in pediatrics and dermatology. In his spare time, he enjoyed spending time in the bush, driving a four-wheel drive, and fishing with his children.

After graduating from the University of Notre Dame in 2014, he worked in real estate and nuclear medicine before training at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle.

The practice manager of Windale Community Medical Centre, where Dr Hogbin previously worked, said the community was shocked by his death.

“We are all still in shock about the way we trained him,” she told the Cairns Post.

Dr Hogbin, a doctor in the Lake Macquarie region of New South Wales, was on a family holiday at the time of the tragedy

‘I have many employees who are having a hard time at the moment.’

The crocodile was shot dead by park rangers at 2pm on Monday, after which the carcass was handed over to police and the contents of its stomach were examined.

Queensland police released a statement on Tuesday saying human remains had been found inside the predator.

The site where Dr. Hogbin was attacked is a known habitat for the reptiles.

A Cooktown resident claimed the crocodile associated humans with food because locals fed it roadkill further upstream.

“People throw a dead animal into the water for it to eat. It could be that the animal has been sitting there 15 feet under water waiting for food,” they told the Cairns Post.

‘We’ve had a little rain, so the bank is soft. Even if he wasn’t at the edge, the bank could still go under him.

“It’s just terrible and everyone is with the family. It’s unthinkable to see something like this happen before your eyes.”

A GoFundMe which he set up to help his family has already raised $110,070 in donations within two days of its launch.

The massive amount is more than five times the $20,000 target originally set for the fundraiser.

Police declined to comment on suspicions that people in the area were feeding crocodiles.