One zoo worker is lucky to still have his arm after it was nibbled by a crocodile.
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According to the New York Post, the incident took place at the Bronx Zoo yesterday, May 24. The 38-year-old employee slipped while cleaning an enclosure.
What Happened With the Crocodile?
Authorities were called to the zoo around 2:40 p.m. local time after receiving a 911 call about a crocodile bite. Police shared they found it on the left arm of the zoo worker.
Officials at the Bronx Zoo say that the enclosure is home to a tomistoma, also known as a Malayan gharial. The worker took a spill, leading to the incident.
Officers are still investigating the accident. The unidentified zoo worker is expected to keep his arm. He is listed in stable condition at St. Barnabas Hospital.
"The keeper was cleaning an enclosure and after slipping, a small tomistoma nipped at the left forearm of the keeper," a representative said in a statement. "The keeper was treated at a local hospital and released for a minor wound, which did not need stitches."
This Comes On the Heels of Another Crocodile Incident
Earlier this month, Robert Irwin, son of the late "Crocodile Hunter" Stephen Irwin, shared another harrowing encounter with one of the dangerous reptiles on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
"I named this crocodile Jimmy Fallon, like, years ago, and he's now what we call a boss croc. He's huge," shared Robert. "Because we research crocodiles in the wild to better conserve them, right? So the way you do that — my dad came up with this — is you actually have to jump on them."
He then shared that the 14-foot crocodile "death-rolled" him.
"So I'm stuck underneath him with my arm hanging out," Robert added. "I've got like probably, I don't know, maybe 700 pounds on top of me. And I'm just like, 'What do I do?' And luckily, he rolled back the other way, and I was fine. But he's a goer."
Thankfully, Robert was safe, thanks in large part to his years of experience working with crocodiles. As for us, if we see a crocodile, we're just going to run as fast as we can.
