Authorities in the Philippines have issued a public safety warning following a dangerous incident in which a tourist was attacked by a crocodile after entering its enclosure at a zoo in Zamboanga Sibugay.
On April 28, a 29-year-old visitor to Kabug Mangrove Park and Wetlands Zoo misjudged a potentially deadly situation when he mistook a live crocodile for a statue. Believing the reptile to be an inanimate display, the man reportedly climbed over a fence and waded through shallow water to take a selfie with the animal.
Unaware of the imminent danger, the man approached the 15-foot crocodile—named Lalay—with his phone in hand. As onlookers shouted warnings, the reptile suddenly lunged, clamping its jaws around his arm and biting into his flesh. The crocodile then seized the man’s thigh and began performing a violent spinning maneuver known as a “death roll,” a method crocodiles use to incapacitate and dismember their prey.
Police Staff Sergeant Joel Sajolga of the Siay Municipal Police confirmed to local media that the man had mistaken the crocodile for a plastic model, prompting him to breach the enclosure. “He climbed the fence and entered the enclosure, and the crocodile attacked him,” Sgt. Sajolga stated.
The death roll—an instinctive and lethal behavior exhibited by crocodilians—occurs because crocodiles cannot chew their prey. Instead, they rely on a powerful bite and a full-body twisting motion to break down larger animals into smaller, more manageable pieces.
The tourist remained trapped inside the enclosure for approximately 30 minutes before a zookeeper intervened, reportedly striking the crocodile with a piece of cement, prompting it to release its grip.
Despite the harrowing encounter, the man survived. He was immediately transported to a local hospital, where he underwent treatment and received more than 50 stitches for extensive bite wounds.
Witnesses expressed a mix of relief and bewilderment, with many questioning the tourist’s actions. Sgt. Sajolga concluded with a stern warning, emphasizing the serious risks posed by such reckless behavior: “This kind of behavior is very dangerous. 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.”
Source: This report is based on eyewitness accounts and official statements from local authorities in Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines.
