Tourist bitten by crocodile at Philippines zoo after mistaking it for statue

A 29-year-old man who reportedly mistook a live crocodile for a statue was bit by the animal when he climbed into its enclosure at a wetlands park in southern Philippines to take a selfie.

The man was in the area when he spotted the female crocodile, named Lalay, resting inside a fenced enclosure at the Kabug Island Mangrove and Wetlands Park in Zamboanga Sibugay province, according to reports.

Police said he mistook the 15-foot reptile for a statue, clambered over the chain-link fence, and waded through the shallow water as he took out his cellphone, the Daily Mail reported. He was suddenly attacked after jumping into the crocodile enclosure.

Police officers arrived to find he had already been bitten on the right leg, according to the Siay municipal police station.

“The tourist was walking around the area, then he saw the crocodile, which he thought was just a plastic fixture. He climbed the fence and entered the enclosure, and the crocodile attacked him,” police staff sergeant Joel Sajolga of the Siay Municipal Police was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

The crocodile’s owner, Nanding Panogan, managed to intervene and rescue the victim, but not before the man had been trapped in the enclosure in agony for up to 30 minutes. Mr Panogan, who is also the reptile's caretaker, reportedly risked his own life by climbing into the pen and slamming a piece of cement onto Lalay’s head, prompting her to release her grip.

Medics then wrapped his wounded arm and thigh with cloth to stanch the bleeding before rushing him to a nearby hospital, where he reportedly received more than 50 stitches.

“This kind of behaviour 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,” added Mr Sajolga.

Footage obtained by ViralPress and taken by onlookers showed Lalay grabbing the man’s arm and performing a death roll, a feeding technique used by crocodiles and alligators to subdue and dismember their prey. As the gruesome scene unfolded, onlookers can be heard screaming as the man continued being dragged through the water.

The park has not issued a public statement yet, and the investigation is still ongoing.

“I don't know why he would do such a stupid thing, but I'm glad the man is alive and the crocodile just let him go. His leg wasn't broken, but he suffered arm and thigh wounds,” onlooker Canete Jie said.