Aussie woman's epic 40-minute battle with incredibly rare fish: 'Can't feel my toes'
Standing on a riverbank in a rural Aussie town one sunny afternoon last month, avid fisher Brooke Paull had no idea she was about to reel in the catch of a lifetime — but it wasn't the 'lovely' man she was on a first date with.
After casting her line in the coastal town of Carnarvon, which sits in between Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef in WA, the 44-year-old was immediately excited when she felt something snag on the other end.
'We thought it was a shark,' she told Yahoo News Australia. 'And then when we saw it jumping out of the water and wrapping itself [around the line], we were like, 'Oh my God, it's a sawfish'.'
The startling sight triggered a 40-minute battle to reel in the incredibly rare three-metre-long fish — which Paull admitted was not an easy feat given her 48kg frame.
After pulling it onto the shore, the self-admitted wildlife enthusiast wrapped a towel around the sawfish's eyes so it would calm down long enough for her to free it from the fishing line that was tightly wrapped around its body.
'We cut the line off it and got the hook out of its mouth. Then, as we were dragging it back into the water, the towel came off its eyes so it wasn't stunned anymore, and it just went nuts,' Paull told Yahoo.
As it thrashed on the sand, the fish turned and slashed the local's leg, then headed back out into the open water. 'I've got four prongs evenly distributed across my leg,' she said. 'I think the adrenaline was going through me, but after about 45 minutes, I was like, 'I can't feel my toes'.'
The 44-year-old chucked her dog in the car and drove herself to hospital, where she was given antibiotics and a tetanus shot. 'The needles hurt more than the actual wound,' Paull joked.
Despite the bloody ending, she described the encounter as 'such a great moment'. 'It's definitely the best fish of my life,' she said.
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Speaking to Yahoo, zoologist and sawfish expert Dr Barbara Wueringer confirmed Paull had accidentally caught a 'healthy' critically endangered green sawfish. 'This animal is likely still a juvenile, and has not reached sexual maturity yet,' she explained.
'There are four species of sawfish in Australian waters, and how far upstream they are found depends on the species. All four species are found in northern Australia, so if this animal was caught in the Carnarvon region then it's certainly in sawfish habitat.'
To see a green sawfish, never mind catching one, is exceptionally rare as there is estimated to only be between 200 and 5,000 left in the world. Australia is currently thought to host some of the last viable populations.
All species are distinguishable by their long nose extensions which are lined with sharp teeth, with their most distinctive feature making them a target for trophy fishing and often getting tangled in fishing nets. An increase in coastal development has also disrupted the migration of juvenile sawfish, making it difficult for reproduction.
If threatened, they may use their saw to defend themselves, but they are generally not aggressive.
Dr Wueringe, who runs a public sighting campaign for sawfish, has urged anyone who spots one of the odd-looking fish in Aussie waters to report it to non-profit Sharks and Rays Australia through this online form.
What species of sawfish are found in Australia?
Freshwater sawfish (critically endangered). Grows over 7 metres long and lives in fresh and saltwater.
Green sawfish (critically endangered). Has a shark-like body with a surface colour that's greenish-brown or olive, while its dorsal fins are yellow-grey. Grows to 5 metres.
Dwarf sawfish (endangered). Has a maximum body length of just 3.2 metres.
Narrow sawfish (vulnerable). Because of its flattened head, it's also known as the knifetooth or pointed sawfish. Grows to 4.6 metres.
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