Nine-year-old attacked in zoo

A nine year old Chinese boy, who broke into the crocodile enclosure in a zoo in South West China was dragged into the water and eaten by the crocodiles. The boy, one of a group of friends, were taunting the animals with stones and sticks when one of them bit his clothes and pulled him into the water where he was eaten by a swarm of crocodiles. His companions then raised the alarm.

Zoo keepers looking for the boy, lured one of the crocodiles from the pool shot him, and found human remains in his stomach, later confirmed to be those of the boy. How the boys got into the park which was guarded by a keeper is as yet unknown.

Animal welfare workers have in the past criticised conditions in China’s zoos from the viewpoint of animal welfare. It now appears that wider issues of visitor health and safety are also of concern.

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