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Journalism of Courage
A mangrove park in the Philippines turned into a nightmare when a tourist mistook a real crocodile for a statue, and paid a painful price for it.
The shocking incident happened at Kabug Mangrove Park in Zamboanga Sibugay, where a man, 29, whose identity remains undisclosed, was exploring the wetlands. According to a New York Post report, he spotted what he believed to be a strikingly realistic crocodile sculpture. Captivated by its detail, he decided to get closer for a selfie.
Footage captured by a bystander shows the man climbing over a chain-link fence and stepping into the water, smiling at his phone camera. But in an instant, the situation took a terrifying turn.
The “statue” – actually a fully grown 15-foot female crocodile named Lalay – lunged at the man without warning. In a brutal attack, she bit down on his arm, then latched onto his thigh and began thrashing him in a violent death roll, a gruesome move crocodiles use to dismember their prey.
Witnesses say the man was trapped inside the enclosure for half an hour. He was finally freed when Lalay’s handler struck the reptile with a chunk of cement, forcing her to release her grip. Emergency responders rushed to wrap his bleeding wounds and took him to the hospital, where he received over 50 stitches.
Police confirmed the man had ignored safety barriers and entered the enclosure, thinking the crocodile wasn’t real. “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 told local media. “He climbed the fence and entered the enclosure, and the crocodile attacked him.”
Online, people had little sympathy. Social media users criticised the man’s decision, with one writing, “What is wrong with the people nowadays? Social networks should be banned, they are the reason for people stupidity.” Another bluntly said, “Why should we feel bad for stupidity?” One said, “Good life lesson for this stupid,” while another wrote, “Thought he was the crocodile hunter but ended up crocodile hunted.”
