A tourist visiting a zoo in the Philippines was attacked by a crocodile after he climbed into the reptile's enclosure to take a selfie, believing it to be fake.
The man — identified by the Manila Bulletin as a 29-year-old — climbed over a chain-link fence with a cell phone in hand at the Kabug Island Mangrove and Wetlands Park in the Philippines' southern Zamboanga Sibugay province on Monday, April 28.
In video footage of the incident being circulated on social media, onlookers can be heard screaming at the man as the crocodile bit him on the arm and refused to let go.
The following video is graphic in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.
Though the man could be seen sitting still as he awaited help, the crocodile — a female named Lalay — dragged him through the shallow water and rolled over, twisting his arm even further as he screamed in pain.
Police Said the Man Climbed into the Enclosure Because He Thought the Crocodile was Fake
Police officers told local media that the man had climbed into the enclosure because he thought the crocodile was fake.
"The tourist was walking around the area, then he saw the crocodile, which he thought was just a plastic fixture," Police Staff Sergeant Joel Sajolga of the Siay Municipal Police told multiple outlets, per The Daily Mail.
"He climbed the fence and entered the enclosure, and the crocodile attacked him," Sajolga added. The Bulletin reported that the man was "mentally impaired." Video footage showed Lalay rolling the man multiple times in what scientists call a "death roll" — a tactic used by crocodiles to kill prey and tear it apart for consumption.
The Man was Rescued by the Zookeeper, Sustained More Than 50 Stitches on His Arm
The zookeeper attempted to stop the man from climbing the fence beforehand, and eventually entered the enclosure himself to rescue the 29-year-old, allegedly hitting the crocodile over the head with a piece of concrete to force her to open her mouth.
Paramedics were eventually called to the scene, the outlets reported. They found that the man's right arm and leg had been bitten, and he was taken to Dr. George T. Hofer Memorial Hospital, where he received more than 50 stitches, per the Bulletin.
"This kind of behavior is very dangerous. Nobody should ever enter an animal's enclosure at the zoo," Sajolga added to local media. "He put other people's lives at risk and he is very lucky to have survived."
An investigation into the incident is still ongoing, police told the Bulletin.
