A tourist was almost killed by a crocodile at the zoo when he breached the enclosure to pose next to the animal on Monday. The tourist visiting Zamboanga Sibugay in the Philippines climbed into an enclosure where a female crocodile known as Lalay was kept.
According to the Daily Mail, the male visitor climbed over the Kabug Mangrove Park and Wetlands Zoo’s chain-linked fence to snap selfies with the animal, which he reportedly mistook for a statue. The brazen 29-year-old tourist, whose identity has not been disclosed, waded through the water and stopped near the 15-foot reptile.
He then fetched his phone while smiling to take the photos, while terrified spectators yelled warnings. He was urged to leave the enclosure by others at the zoo while the reptile became furious at his presence. In one swift move, the animal struck, attacking the tourist by biting down on his arm.
The scene, which was caught on a gruesome video, ignited panic among onlookers. The footage is now making the rounds on the internet, showing the tourist screaming in pain. The crocodile continues to bite down on his arm, locking his limb firmly between her jaws as the man struggles to escape.
The situation became even more disastrous when she attempted to finish the kill by clamping down on his thigh and executing a death roll, which involved her flipping over multiple times. This strategy allows crocodiles to rip their prey apart.
According to the news report, the attack continued for 30 minutes before the tourist was eventually rescued by the crocodile’s caretaker. After the tourist endured half an hour of agony, the caretaker bravely climbed the fence and used a piece of cement to strike the reptile in the head, which made her jaws loosen.
When emergency responders arrived at the scene, the wounds on his arm and thigh were wrapped with cloth to slow the bleeding, per the report. He was then transported to the hospital. His wounds were treated and stitched up, leaving him with over 50 stitches.
The Daily Mail cited a statement from Police Staff Sergeant Joel Sajolga of the Siay Municipal Police that said the tourist initially believed the reptile was a “plastic fixture”. He added that zookeepers failed to stop the tourist from entering the enclosure, and the tourist’s actions put others at risk.
