Shocking Moment Zookeeper Mauled by 16-Foot Monster Crocodile in Front of Panicked Crowd in S-Africa
- 2 years ago
A zookeeper miraculously dodged death after a 16-foot crocodile attacked him in front of horrified tourists.
Crocodile keeper Sean Le Clus was viciously attacked as he sat on the back of the 660kg beast before another attacked him as well.
The 68-year-old suffered a terrifying bite from a female crocodile named July followed by a Nile crocodile named Hannibal at the Crocodile Creek farm in South Africa's KwaZulu Natal province.
The handler, who has cared for Hannibal for more than 30 years, had to twist and push his way out of the beast's five-inch long teeth, which sank into his thigh.
After turning his body over, the crocodile tossed him to the floor of the enclosure before escaping on all fours on September 10.
Sean had just fed the female alligator a chicken to keep her in her spot while he performed his "party trick" of sitting on Hannibal's back for the crowd.
He calls the giant carnivore a "good boy" as he pats it right on the back of the head, but is unaware that the female named July is suddenly heading towards him.
At the last moment, he pulls his leg out of the female's jaws and dodges her with a stick as he dismounts the huge male for safety.
But having diverted his attention from Hannibal, the 103 stone predator, he sees his fate and turns his head with gaping jaws.
Sean, who had been bitten earlier by another crocodile and suffered a leg injury that left him limping for 11 months, jumped back in panic.
He has previously said, "If a crocodile grabs you, it's game over."
Dozens of tourists screamed in shock during the potentially deadly attack on the Crocodile Creek tourist attraction in South Africa.
The popular reptile park on the Utongati River floodplain, just north of Durban, is home to 6,000 crocodiles, alligators and snakes.
A Crocodile Creek spokesman told the South African newspaper: “Sean had two big holes in his teeth but he stitched them up himself and was back at work within 20 minutes.
“It was the first time Hannibal had bitten a handler and it happened because the female got close to him and can be very finicky.
“Sean was looking at the female and Hannibal just reminded him that he was there; if he had been a good bite, he would have been very bad.
Crocodile keeper Sean Le Clus was viciously attacked as he sat on the back of the 660kg beast before another attacked him as well.
The 68-year-old suffered a terrifying bite from a female crocodile named July followed by a Nile crocodile named Hannibal at the Crocodile Creek farm in South Africa's KwaZulu Natal province.
The handler, who has cared for Hannibal for more than 30 years, had to twist and push his way out of the beast's five-inch long teeth, which sank into his thigh.
After turning his body over, the crocodile tossed him to the floor of the enclosure before escaping on all fours on September 10.
Sean had just fed the female alligator a chicken to keep her in her spot while he performed his "party trick" of sitting on Hannibal's back for the crowd.
He calls the giant carnivore a "good boy" as he pats it right on the back of the head, but is unaware that the female named July is suddenly heading towards him.
At the last moment, he pulls his leg out of the female's jaws and dodges her with a stick as he dismounts the huge male for safety.
But having diverted his attention from Hannibal, the 103 stone predator, he sees his fate and turns his head with gaping jaws.
Sean, who had been bitten earlier by another crocodile and suffered a leg injury that left him limping for 11 months, jumped back in panic.
He has previously said, "If a crocodile grabs you, it's game over."
Dozens of tourists screamed in shock during the potentially deadly attack on the Crocodile Creek tourist attraction in South Africa.
The popular reptile park on the Utongati River floodplain, just north of Durban, is home to 6,000 crocodiles, alligators and snakes.
A Crocodile Creek spokesman told the South African newspaper: “Sean had two big holes in his teeth but he stitched them up himself and was back at work within 20 minutes.
“It was the first time Hannibal had bitten a handler and it happened because the female got close to him and can be very finicky.
“Sean was looking at the female and Hannibal just reminded him that he was there; if he had been a good bite, he would have been very bad.