Crocodile Handler Dies After Being Trapped in Predator’s Jaws at Papua New Guinea Wildlife Park

A crocodile handler died after spending more than an hour trapped in the jaws of the animal he was attempting to feed at a wildlife park in Papua New Guinea.

The worker was inside a fenced crocodile enclosure at Adventure Park in Port Moresby on Saturday afternoon when the attack happened. He had been approaching the crocodile with a chicken when the animal seized him and dragged him toward the water.

Disturbing footage shared online appeared to show the man desperately clinging to the edge of the pool while the crocodile held his legs in its jaws.

He was eventually freed and taken to 3 Mile General Hospital, but died from his injuries at around 7am on Sunday.

‘He was in severe pain but he couldn’t scream’

Eyewitness Gibson John said the attack unfolded as the worker attempted to feed the crocodile.

“He brought the chicken to the fence and the crocodile attacked the person and tried to bring him into the pool,” John said.

The situation quickly drew a large crowd around the enclosure as people tried to find a way to help.

According to John, the crocodile kept the man’s legs in its mouth for more than an hour while bystanders waited for emergency assistance.

“He was in severe pain but he couldn’t scream,” John said.

“He couldn’t speak properly at that time. It was the pain I could see from his eyes.”

The only words John said he could hear from the injured worker were: “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

Bystanders tried to pull him from the water

Video from the scene appeared to show the handler gripping the side of the pool while a bystander extended a pole for him to hold.

Another person was later seen holding onto the man’s arms from the edge of the enclosure as he groaned in pain.

John said security guards did not have firearms at the scene. Instead, they gave the trapped worker a small iron rod while people waited for St John Ambulance and police to arrive.

Police reportedly shot the crocodile before the man could be released.

Visitors were then ushered away from the area as emergency crews dealt with the aftermath.

John said he was later told that the victim, who was from the Western Islands in northern Papua New Guinea, had lost a leg before being taken to hospital.

“I’ve never seen something like this before. I couldn’t believe what I saw,” John said.

Worker had been at the park for about two years

The man had reportedly worked at Adventure Park for approximately two years.

The wildlife attraction regularly holds crocodile-feeding demonstrations in which staff interact closely with the animals.

The park was closed until further notice following the fatal attack.

Staff members who witnessed the incident were reported to have gathered at a funeral home following the worker’s death.

Papua New Guinea’s official tourism website describes Adventure Park as a family attraction featuring rides, wildlife, gardens and outdoor activities.

The fatal incident has now cast a stark shadow over the crocodile demonstrations that form part of the park’s attractions.

A tragedy witnessed by a large crowd

The attack happened in front of numerous visitors, many of whom gathered around the enclosure as the handler struggled to escape.

The footage from the scene captured the desperate attempts to help him, but the crocodile remained attached to his legs for an extended period before police intervened.

The worker was ultimately taken to hospital, but his injuries proved fatal the following morning.

ABC News reported that he died at 3 Mile General Hospital on Sunday at 7am, one day after the attack.

The tragedy has left Adventure Park closed while staff and those who witnessed the incident deal with the aftermath.