A three-year-old boy remains in critical but stable condition after being attacked by a crocodile inside an enclosure at a zoo in eastern England, police have confirmed.
The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a family-run farm attraction and zoo near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire. According to investigators, the child sustained serious injuries while inside a crocodile enclosure and was pulled to safety by zoo staff, News.az reports, citing BBC.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the attack. The boy was treated by paramedics and a specialist air ambulance team before being transferred to hospital, where he continues to receive care.
Police said a 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident. However, authorities later confirmed that he had been released on bail and was currently considered unfit to be interviewed due to his physical or mental condition.
Investigators are now working to determine exactly how the child entered the enclosure and how long he remained there before the attack. The BBC understands that at least one crocodile was involved.
Detective Inspector Verity McCann said officers were continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding what she described as a “distressing incident.”
“Our inquiries are ongoing as we continue to understand the circumstances surrounding this distressing incident,” she said. “Our thoughts remain with the boy and his family, and specialist officers continue to support them through this difficult time.”
Authorities stressed that the crocodiles involved have neither been seized nor euthanized as the investigation continues.
Following the incident, the zoo temporarily closed its Tropical House, the facility that contains the crocodile habitat. Management said the decision was taken out of respect for the injured child and his family.
Johnsons of Old Hurst, which began housing crocodiles in 2006, keeps the reptiles in a converted cattle barn featuring elevated metal walkways overlooking pools surrounded by tropical vegetation. The attraction is also home to more than 100 animals, including African lions and a Bengal tiger.
Police have appealed to witnesses and are reviewing accounts from visitors who were at the zoo when the attack occurred. Authorities added that they do not believe the arrested man and the child knew each other.
Local Member of Parliament Ben Obese-Jecty urged the public to avoid speculation while the investigation remains active, describing the case as a “critical incident.”
The zoo had been preparing to launch a new museum and celebrate the 20th anniversary of its farm shop this weekend. It remains unclear whether those events will proceed as planned.
The incident has shocked the local community and raised questions about how a young child was able to enter a crocodile enclosure at a facility designed to safely house some of the world's most dangerous reptiles. Police say establishing those facts remains a key focus of the investigation.
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