What started as a bizarre attempt at a selfie quickly turned into a real-life horror story when a tourist climbed into a crocodile enclosure, mistakenly thinking the massive 15-foot predator was just a harmless statue. Seconds later, the crocodile proved otherwise, lunging at the man in a shocking moment caught on camera.
The incident took place on April 28 at the Kabug Island Mangrove and Wetlands Park in Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines. It has since sparked a frenzy on social media and raised serious questions about zoo safety, visitor behavior, and basic common sense.
Authorities reported that the 29-year-old man—whose name has not been released—was visiting the park when he spotted the massive reptile, later identified as a fully-grown female crocodile named Lalay, resting in her enclosure.
Believing the 15-foot crocodile was just a lifelike statue, the man saw it as the perfect chance to snap a few selfies.
“The tourist was walking around the area, then he saw the crocodile, which he thought was just a plastic fixture,” said Police Staff Sergeant Joel Sajolga of the Siay Municipal Police, according to multiple outlets cited by the Daily Mail.
With his phone in hand, “He climbed the fence and entered the enclosure, and the crocodile attacked him,” Sajolga added.
In one of the videos recorded by a visitor named Cañete Jie, the tourist is seen smiling as he approaches the crocodile in the murky water.
Death roll
What followed was terrifying.
Within seconds, Lalay turned her head, lunged forward, and bit the man’s arm. She then bit his thigh and performed a “death roll” — a brutal move crocodiles use to disorient and tear apart their prey.
According to the University of Tennessee, “crocodiles can’t chew, so they use a powerful bite coupled with a full-bodied twisting motion — a death roll — to disable, kill, and dismember prey into smaller pieces.” This lethal behavior is typical of both alligators and crocodiles.
Trapped for 30 minutes
In another clip, the man’s blood-curdling screams can be heard echoing through the park as Lalay spins with horrifying force.
Witnesses say the man was trapped inside the enclosure for 30 agonizing minutes, bleeding and barely able to move, while Lalay held tight.
According to the Daily Mail, the handler in charge of the beast risked his own life by jumping into the enclosure. He then smashed a piece of concrete over the crocodile’s head, forcing her to release her deadly grip.
“This kind of behavior is very dangerous,” Sajolga said of the tourist’s reckless stunt. “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,” he added.
‘Such a stupid thing’
Paramedics rushed to the scene and found that the tourist had suffered serious bite wounds on his right arm and leg. He was quickly taken to Dr. George T. Hofer Memorial Hospital, where doctors treated his injuries with more than 50 stitches, The Manila Bulletin confirmed via People magazine.
Jie, the person who recorded the video, said, “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.”
‘Poor Lalay’
Meanwhile, people online are expressing outrage—not only at the man’s reckless behavior but also because his actions put the crocodile’s life at risk. Many are concerned for the animal’s safety and well-being.
One user wrote, “Poor Lalay! I hope she is okay! Imagine just chilling and minding your own business when some waste of oxygen thinks they can do whatever they please to you, and then having a cement block slammed on your head. Some humans are just that—a waste.”
Another commented, “The caretaker should’ve hit the braindead idiot on the head with the concrete instead of the crocodile. Hope Lalay is okay. Too bad she didn’t get his arm for lunch.”
A third user added, “Calling this an attack is like saying someone who stepped onto railroad tracks was attacked by the oncoming train.”
And another joked, “Poor croc was just changing the angle so the selfie would look the best.”
This incident is a powerful reminder that wild animals are not props for photos. No matter how calm they seem, enclosures exist for a reason—and crossing those boundaries can have devastating consequences.
Please let us know what you think of this man’s reckless selfie attempt and then share this story so we can hear from others!
