Crocodile Farmer Died After 40 Reptiles Assaulted Him; How Common Is Croc Attack?

(Photo: Pexels/Will Mu)
Crocodile Farmer Died After 40 Reptiles Assaulted Him; How Common Is Croc Attack?

A longtime crocodile farmer died in the hands of over 40 crocs after he fell inside their enclosure. The bloody incident happened in Cambodia.

40 Crocodiles Attacked a Croc Farmer

Luan Nam had been in the crocodile business for years. He was even the president of Cambodia's Crocodile Association. However, he met his death at the hands of the apex predators, who worked together in a bloody attack that resulted in his death, Daily Star reported.

Nam reportedly entered the incorrect side of the enclosure, located around 160 miles from Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. He allegedly tried to goad one croc using a stick to leave its eggs.

However, the apex predator seemingly lost its temper and yanked the stick, pulling the man inside the enclosure. After falling into his crocodile pen, the unlucky man was surrounded by 40 other crocs, who tore him to pieces.

Since then, horrifying pictures have emerged of the bloodied enclosure where the vicious animals had finished their work. One terrifying photograph showed a croc holding a sandal belonging to Nam. It's believed that one of the man's arms was completely severed from his body and consumed whole by a mob member.

Mey Savry, the police commander for the commune of Siem Reap, claimed that as he was trying to pull a crocodile out of an enclosure where it was laying eggs, the crocodile attacked the stick and knocked him into the cage. Then more crocodiles charged, killing him instantly.

Nam's remains were later recovered from the enclosure, and several bite marks were found on his body.

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How Common Is Croc Attack?

According to the Crocodile Specialist Group, of the 26 crocodilian species, only eight are known to attack humans regularly. Those best known for assaulting people include the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), Nile crocodile (C. niloticus), American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), mugger crocodile (C. palustris), the American crocodile (C. acutus) and black caiman (Melanosuchus niger). Morelet's crocodile (C. moreletii) and the spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) also fairly regularly attack humans. Meanwhile, West African crocodiles (C. suchus), Tomistoma (Tomistoma schlegelii), and Australian freshwater crocodiles (C. johnstoni) are less commonly implicated.

In many nations, it is difficult to estimate the frequency of crocodile attacks on humans. Given that many attacks occur in isolated locations. It is possible that there were more attacks than documented.

Also, deadly incidents are more likely to be recorded compared to non-fatal incidents. A species is typically not legally protected until formal monitoring is established; at this point, accurate data collecting usually starts.

For instance, records of saltwater crocodile attacks in northern Australia since 1971 (the year the species was protected) are more thorough and contain much more information than many incidents before the protection. Meanwhile, based on research, there are around 1,000 fatal croc attacks every year, A-Z Animals reported. However, the number is probably much higher based on the number of crocs in Africa and Asia.

In Australia alone, the crocodile definite, unprovoked attacks recorded between 1971 and 2004 were 66, and 17 were reportedly fatal.