Chilling footage from the Kabug Mangrove Park and Wetlands zoo in Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines, shows the moment a 29‑year‑old tourist climbed over a chain‑link fence into a crocodile pen—mistaking the 15‑foot female reptile for a statue—only to be savaged by her deadly “death roll.”
In the video, the man wades through shallow water and raises his phone for a selfie before the croc, known locally as Lalay, charges and clamps onto his arm. She then drags him down and bites his thigh, performing her signature spin to disorient and injure prey. The brutal attack lasted nearly 30 minutes until a handler smashed a lump of cement on Lalay’s head, forcing her to release the victim.
This is the horrifying moment a tourist was attacked after stupidly entering a crocodile pen for a selfie. 😱 https://x.com/MailOnline/status/1917168253224337892— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) May 1, 2025
Horror‑struck bystanders screamed at the man to back away, but Lalay’s natural instincts took over. When rescuers finally rushed in, medics wrapped his wounds on site and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he received more than 50 stitches to his arm and thigh.
Horror moment tourist savaged by crocodile after climbing into cage for pics. 🤯 https://x.com/IrishSunOnline/status/1917413829102784757— Irish Sun Online (@IrishSunOnline) May 1, 2025
Wildlife experts warn that crocodiles—especially large females guarding territory—can strike without warning. “No statue ever moved,” says Dr. Maria Santiago, a herpetologist at the University of the Philippines. “Climbing into a croc enclosure is asking for disaster.”
Siay Municipal Police, led by Staff Sergeant Joel Sajolga, condemned the stunt as “foolhardy,” noting that zookeepers should have intervened before the fence was breached. Local authorities are now reviewing safety measures at the park, including reinforced barriers and additional warning signs.
This incident follows a string of fatal crocodile attacks worldwide, from Zimbabwe’s Mpopoma Dam to Australia’s Daintree region, underscoring the deadly power of these apex predators when humans ignore basic safety rules.
As the viral footage spreads, park officials say they will cover the tourist’s medical bills but stress that no amount of compensation can justify risking one’s life—and the lives of emergency responders—to capture a single snapshot.
