Durban - A handler who was bitten during a live show at the Crocodile Creek on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast stitched himself up and got right back to work.
The video of Hannibal, a 660 kilogram crocodile, biting his handler Sean Le Clus has gone viral on social media.
The incident took place in September.
The park, which is situated near Ballito, is home to over 6 000 Nile crocodiles, alligators and snakes.
In the one-minute video Le Clus is seen first feeding the female crocodile and then heads over to Hannibal.
He sits on his back and the female crocodile snaps at him.
As Le Clus gets up Hannibal bites him.
However the owner of the farm Craig Watson, said it was merely a nip.
“Hannibal was trying to get the attention of Sean.
“If he was trying to attack him, it would have been a very different scenario.
“He basically tried to get his attention, because Sean was actually looking at the female crocodile,” he said.
Watson said Le Clus sustained injuries to both sides of his thighs and had three stitches each, which he did by himself.
Watson said Le Clus, who has been working as a handler for 35 years, began his next show shortly after.
Hannibal, who is 80-years-old and the oldest crocodile at the park, is used to doing these shows with Le Clus, said Watson.
“He sits on his back all the time,” he said.
IOL