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<\/p>\nThe crocodile capital of the world has seen terrorised people take the heads off of the reptiles to prevent them from becoming "ghosts".<\/p>\n
Big-toothed beasts were believed to be hunting down children and stalking members of the public in a search for food. Indonesian officials are now attempting to address the rise in crocodile encounters. <\/p>\n
Saltwater crocs which boast a bite strong enough to tear off limbs are wandering the area, and claiming victims faster than government officials can respond to the rise in attacks, The Mirror reported.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: Bloke 'becomes dinner' for giant alligator as police find beast in pool of blood<\/b><\/p>\n
For the latest news and updates on grisly crocodile attacks from across the globe, click here.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
In the last decade alone, Indonesia has seen 1,000 crocodile attacks, killing more than 450 people, and the country is now the leader in saltwater crocodile attacks worldwide.<\/p>\n
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Teen, Farjan Idham was recently discovered days after he went missing in a lake, where he was ripped to pieces and beheaded by a vicious collection of crocs. His body was found, but rescue workers were blocked from recovering the remains by the reptiles.<\/p>\n
Another tragic casualty of the reptile rampage is an Dimas Saputra, eight, who was cut out of the stomach of a beast's body. The 26ft-long titan had swallowed the child whole in front of his father. <\/p>\n
Even animals without any teeth are causing havoc, as Devi Binti Sulaiman, 17, found after she was maueld by a crocodile with no teeth on the Sebamban river. She was swallowed by the beast, which Indonesian authorities are powerless to stop.<\/p>\n
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Under current laws, the authorities cannot cause any intentional damage to crocodiles, let alone cull them. The beasts are currently protected and it has seen a rise in members of the public fighting crocodiles.<\/p>\n
Residents of towns infiltrated by crocodiles are taking the fight back to the land-dwelling animals, cutting them up and attacking them on sight. One beast, dubbed "The Demon", weighed 2,000 pounds and had terrorised locals for a decade.<\/p>\n
The now killed croc was so large it had to be moved by a digger. Incredible photos from the scene, reported by The Sun, showed the behemoth carcass moved away in the trough of the construction site vehicle.<\/p>\n
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Despite crocodiles being a protected species, there are parts of the country, like Bangka Island, where the animals are killed, rather than calling in local authorities.<\/p>\n
Ritual killings are carried out occasionally, with locals believing if they kill the beasts and bury it, it is far safer than letting it free or allowing it to move on to another location. Villages take the lack of crocodile deaths as a bad omen, the BBC reported.<\/p>\n
One local, Sariah, who survived a crocodile attack when fetching water, said: "Sometimes when I sleep, the attack comes back to me in my dreams." Some are not so lucky, like Intan Maria Sari, 14, who was attacked while swimming with friends.<\/p>\n
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All authorities can do for the moment is recommend people stay away from the beasts and large bodies of water, as well as mining pits. Locals are now left on edge while washing their clothes on the shoreline, as the vicious reptiles could strike at any time.<\/p>\n
Plans to rescue the crocodiles are beginning to falter, with the Alobi wildlife conservation centre struggling to make ends meet without government funding. The place relies on donations to keep wild crocodiles in their habitat, and out of harms way.<\/p>\n
Endi Riadi, who runs the Alobi centre, believes food is one of the major costs. He said: "Once a month we can get one whole cow to feed them. If the farmers have dead cattle, we feed it to them too."<\/p>\n
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