Onlookers were left shocked as a tourist crossed a barrier and climbed into an animal enclosure at a zoo in the Philippines, mistaking the resident crocodile for a plastic fixture.
As reported by the New York Post, the man needed 50 stitches after being attacked by the animal at the Kabug Mangrove Park and Wetlands zoo. It was reported that he had climbed into the enclosure for a selfie, believing the crocodile to be a statue.
Gruesome footage taken by an onlooker showed the man screaming in pain after the crocodile, named Lalay, clamped its jaws around the man's arm. The tourist was in the enclosure for 30 minutes before Lalay's handler was able to free him by hitting the crocodile on the head with some concrete, which forced her to loosen her grip.
Shocking video shows the moment a tourist stupidly climbed into a crocodile's enclosure to pose for selfies, only for the animal to turn around and attack him. The brainless visitor, 29, thought that the 15-foot reptile was a statue in the zoo in Zambonga Sibugay in the… pic.twitter.com/b6lBXp9rrC
— Papa Hemingway (@PopHemingway) April 30, 2025
The news of this incident has gone viral, with many people calling out the behavior as reckless and dangerous.
Wild animals are unpredictable and can act threatened when coming into close contact with humans, regardless of whether they are in the wild or captive in a zoo. Treating these animals with respect and taking heed of the rules is important for enabling people to view wildlife in a safe environment and preventing incidents like these from occurring, which were not only traumatic and harmful for the tourist but also for the people who witnessed it.
Adhering to the rules is also important for the health of the animals. Close encounters with people can cause animals unnecessary stress, causing them to change their behaviors, which can harm their long-term well-being. Additionally, animals that become too accustomed to people or feel threatened and attacked are often euthanized, which is unfair to the animal that was only using its natural instincts to react.
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Talking about the incident, police staff sergeant Joel Sajolga of the Siay Municipal Police told local media, "Nobody should ever enter an animal's enclosure at the zoo. He put other people's lives at risk and he is very lucky to have survived," as per the New York Post.
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