Bloodied and severely injured, the tourist was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors performed emergency treatment, including more than 50 stitches.
What was meant to be a lighthearted visit to a mangrove park ended in blood, stitches, and shock after a man was nearly killed by a crocodile he believed was nothing more than a harmless statue.
The bizarre and horrifying encounter took place at Kabug Mangrove Park, a tourist spot in the wetlands of Zamboanga Sibugay in the Phillipines. According to a report by Cosmo, a 29-year-old man whose name has not yet been released, had been exploring the park when he spotted what he assumed was an impressively lifelike crocodile sculpture. Enthralled by its realism, he reportedly waded into the water to snap a selfie – unaware that the 15-foot reptile was very much alive.
Within seconds, the crocodile lunged, clamping its powerful jaws around the man and dragging him into the murky water as onlookers screamed in disbelief. The sheer force of the ambush left the man helpless as the animal attempted to pull him into deeper water, presumably to drown and dismember him – a standard tactic for crocodilian predators.
A tourist in the Philippines was mauled by a crocodile after mistaking it for a statue.
The 29-year-old climbed into the enclosure to take selfies before being attacked.
He suffered serious injuries but survived.#Philippines #CrocodileAttack pic.twitter.com/wQs6VSyh3v
— BPI News (@BPIOrgNews) April 29, 2025
Park personnel and a crocodile handler battled the reptile for over 30 minutes before the man was finally pried from its grip. Bloodied and severely injured, he was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors performed emergency treatment, including more than 50 stitches to close extensive wounds.
Police Sergeant Joel Sajolga later shared a video of the aftermath, showing the disoriented man behind a protective cage. In a blunt caption accompanying the clip, Sajolga wrote, “This man did a stupid thing and got trapped.”