According to the Tay Ninh Department of Agriculture and Environment, the incident occurred on the morning of October 27 in Hamlet 8, Tam Vu Commune. A local teacher, checking a fishing net behind his house, found a crocodile trapped inside. When he pulled its tail, the reptile clamped its jaws on his leg and damaged his tendons.
The crocodile is caught after attacking the teacher (Photo by Huyen My)
People nearby tried but failed to open the crocodile’s jaws and eventually killed it to free the man, who was taken to hospital for emergency treatment.
Authorities said the crocodile belonged to a local resident who had bought it around four years ago in HCM City through an online marketplace. The animal, weighing around 6-7 kilogrammes, had escaped its enclosure about 15 days earlier.
The owner admitted responsibility and agreed to pay the victim’s medical expenses after officials confirmed the crocodile was his. He had kept the animal without registration or approval from forest authorities, and its enclosure failed to meet safety standards.
Forestry officials are continuing to investigate and will determine appropriate penalties.
