What was intended to be an ordinary day outing to a mangrove park became a nightmare and a battle for survival. A man’s attempt at taking a selfie with what he thought was a lifeless sculpture of a crocodile became a battle for survival when the animal turned out to be alive and very much so. This surreal and gruesome experience is a reality check on the volatility of wildlife activities and the danger of taking nature for granted.
Kabug Mangrove Park’s lifelike crocodile statue leads to a near-deadly mistake
The accident took place at Kabug Mangrove Park, a picturesque site in the wetland of Zamboanga Sibugay in the Philippines. Famous for its peaceful atmosphere and wildlife tours, the park welcomes tourists who desire to explore its dense ecosystem. Among the park’s attractions is a collection of realistic-looking statues, including that of a crocodile, which interest most people and want to take photographs with. But one man’s innocent move to take a selfie at the park ended up being a nightmare.
The 29-year-old man was having a great time having his day out in the park when he stumbled upon what looked like an amazingly lifelike crocodile statue. Taken aback by its virtual reality-like appearance, he approached the statue to have a better look and even ventured into the water to take a selfie. He did not realize that the “statue” was a real, living, 15-foot crocodile, who had been masterfully integrated into the park environment.
The crocodile suddenly attacked the man with unimagined velocity, its powerful jaws clasped around his body. The attack was so quick that the man had no chance to move as the predator pulled him into the water. The spectators were frozen in amazement as the crocodile tried to drown and tear the man apart, old crocodile hunting behavior. In the process of struggling with the creature’s hold, the victim’s survival seemed to be evading him by the second.
A near-death experience caught on video as the man’s shocking mistake spreads online
Park officials and a professional crocodile handler arrived at the scene at the last moment. The battle to save the man’s life continued for over 30 minutes, while the jaws of the crocodile were firmly closed over the man’s body. It was through sheer will power and prompt action that the group managed to free the man from the grip of the jaws of the crocodile. The man was injured seriously, with profuse bleeding from his injuries. He was taken directly to the nearest hospital, where the doctors attended to the injuries hurriedly. Over 50 stitches were inserted closing the big wounds, as evidence of the battering.
Police Sergeant Joel Sajolga posted a video of the scene after the rescue, where the man is seen in the background next to a protection cage. Sajolga was blunt in his statement in the caption of the video, commenting outright, “This man did a stupid thing and got trapped,” providing a truthful commentary on what the man did. The clip spread fast and soon became viral, with social media full of comments that varied from shock to alarm. Most of the audience was shocked at the fact that a person can mistake a deadly crocodile for a statue and not perceive the evident danger in doing so.
Social media reacts as officials urge caution around dangerous wildlife
The incident stirred social media with quite some debate on the perils of working with what is clearly a ferocious predator. While most of those who posted sympathized with the harm caused to the man, many decried his wastefulness in adventure without sufficient caution. The officials, in return, had a word of caution to the tourists regarding being careful when handling animals, especially animals that are known to be dangerous. The park management also emphasized the need for caution among visitors when they are around the crocodile enclosures and wildlife sections, especially the ones with predators.
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