A tourist climbed into a crocodile’s enclosure at a zoo in the Philippines to pose for a selfie, thinking it was fake. The reptile attacked him.
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 visitor, 29, thought that the 15-foot reptile was a statue in the zoo in Zambonga Sibugay in the Philippines, NY Post reports.
In the video, the man is seen climbing over a chain-link fence and wading through water before pulling out his cellphone and grinning.
Suddenly, the fully-grown female croc, named Lalay, charges toward the man, sinking her fangs into his arm.
A zoogoer was attacked by a crocodile after climbing into its enclosure in the Philippines. Picture: ViralPress
Gruesome footage shows the tourist screaming in pain as the animal clamps her jaws around his arm.
She then grabs hold of her victim’s thigh and flips over several times in an attempt at a deadly death roll — the method by which crocodiles try to tear their prey apart.
The tourist was reportedly trapped in the pen for 30 minutes before Lalay’s handler was able to free him by bashing the crocodile on the head with a piece of cement, causing her to loosen her grip.
The visitor was left needing 50 stitches. Picture: ViralPress
Medics were able to wrap the visitor’s arm and thigh with cloth to stop the bleeding before he was rushed to the hospital.
Revealed: Colchester Zoo zebra ‘was disembowelled and distressed’ after fatal rhino attack as visitors claims they ‘heard gunshots’ following assault as dramatic pictures emerge showing animals catastrophic injuries
‘We [he and his family] were just literally walking along and we heard what sounded like several gunshots,’ he told MailOnline.
‘It was unavoidable really. All those animals have been running around together for quite a few years, so there isn’t a lesson to learn I think it was purely an accident.’
On that fateful day the grandfather decided to visit the mixed enclosure alone to take photographs when he witnessed the rhinos ‘playfully chasing and butting each other’.
But what first appeared to begin as a spirited interaction between the duo soon turned ‘less than playful’ with other animals taking ‘evasive action’, before the zebra was allegedly disembowelled.
Dramatic images of the incident have emerged showing the extent of the zebra’s catastrophic injuries after it was gored to death.
Pictured: The rhino on the left) with its damp and bloody horn following the unfortunate incident which saw a zebra gored
The zebra (pictured) emerged disembowelled following the incident between the two rhinos
‘The attack seemed random and just wrong place at the wrong time,’ Mr Bull previously told MailOnline (pictured: Rhinos at the enclosure today)
‘Funny enough I think I have seen more blood in the zoo yesterday than I have on safaris,’ Mr Miller told MailOnline.
‘I saw these rhinos playing or what I suppose you first think it is and it was getting less playful.
‘The big male rhino was being picked on by the little juvenile one and I think the had enough.
‘I didn’t actually see the incident happen but all of a sudden this zebra was running around. It did get disembowelled and it was getting worse as it was running.’
The events between the rhinos butting heads and the zebra being fatally attacked remain unclear, however the keen photographer believes it was an accident.
‘The other animals, the kudu, the ostriches where running around and getting out the way but this one zebra just didn’t get out of the way quick enough.
‘I wouldn’t have said the rhino specifically attacked it. They were all getting a bit agitated and its surprising how quickly they move as well.’
Pictures of the rhino in question have emerged showing what is believed to be blood on the six or seven inches at the top of its horn.
Visitor Tim Miller said the rhino appeared to be ‘playfully butting heads’ and chasing one another before the incident escalated
‘I wouldn’t have said the rhino specifically attacked it. They were all getting a bit agitated and its surprising how quickly they move as well,’ Mr Miller said
Mr Miller’s family where in the nighttime area so were not aware the incident had happened until afterwards, but he wasn’t keen to divulge on the bloody assault.
‘I came back into where they were, I just said something has happened out there I didn’t even go into detail,’ he said.
‘I was a bit shocked that something had happened because you imagine the animals have a knock here and there, but the seriousness of what happened was a surprise.
‘There wasn’t many people at the park because it was chilly, luckily, because it wasn’t a nice sight and everyone who was there had children with them.’
The father also praised staff for their quick response to what he described as ‘an unfortunate accident’.
‘They worked as quick as they because you can’t go in because all the other animals where quite agitated and even though they are only herbivores.
‘They can cause a lot of damage so you can’t do anything except what they did really. Everyone seemed very professional with how they sorted it out.’
MailOnline has approached Colchester Zoo for comment.
He also spoke of the quick action and professionalism of Colchester Zoo staff in helping both visitors and the animal (pictured: Zebra and rhinos at the wildlife park on January 10)
Mr Miller’s family where in the nighttime area so were not aware the incident had happened until afterwards, but he wasn’t keen to divulge on the bloody assault.
‘I came back into where they were, I just said something has happened out there I didn’t even go into detail,’ he said.
‘I was a bit shocked that something had happened because you imagine the animals have a knock here and there, but the seriousness of what happened was a surprise.
‘There wasn’t many people at the park because it was chilly, luckily, because it wasn’t a nice sight and everyone who was there had children with them.’
Edward Bull, 44, witnessed ‘the very sad’ death of the zebra at Colchester Zoo yesterday afternoon when it was gored to death by a rhino in its shared enclosure.
The zoo, which welcomes one million visitors each year and is the third most popular in England, said it was ‘devastated’ over the loss of the zebra.
‘The attack seemed random and just wrong place at the wrong time,’ Mr Bull told MailOnline regarding the unfortunate incident.
But the father was quick to praise ‘amazing’ zoo staff who he explained acted quickly and with utmost professionalism.
‘They acted very quickly to move away any visitors and ensure the zebra was given the best surroundings,’ he added
Zebras and rhinos in the outside enclosure for mixed African species at Colchester Zoo (pictured on a seperate day)
Divulging that there were ‘only a few onlookers’, he said the situation was ‘all very calm mainly due to the professionalism of the zoo staff.’
‘They acted very quickly to move away any visitors and ensure the zebra was given the best surroundings,’ he added.
‘[It was] sad but not a problem. We really enjoyed our day and seeing the professionalism of the park and its staff was impressive.’
Another visitor took to Facebook to speak of their sadness following the death of the zebra at one of Britain’s top zoo’s yesterday.
‘We were at the zoo today. Literally just seen the rhinos and zebras chasing as we headed inside,’ they said in a Facebook post.
Echoing Mr Bull’s testimony of the staff’s quick response, they revealed they had been asked to make their way to an exit to clear the area.
‘[We did] not have a clue what had happened. Staff were amazing and acted very professionally under such awful circumstances. Our thoughts are with you all.’
Another onlooker who was at the zoo with their daughter and grandson, three, said they had been to see the enclosure only 30 minutes before the horrifying ordeal.
A zebra was killed in a standoff with a rhino today, the Essex zoo – which is among the best in the country – confirmed (pictured: Zebra and rhinos side by side in the enclosure on another day)