Crocodile Kills Wildlife Worker at Papua New Guinea Park After Hour-Long Attack

A wildlife worker has died after being attacked by a crocodile inside an enclosure at Adventure Park in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The man was attacked on Saturday, September 5, while inside the crocodile enclosure at the wildlife park. He was taken to 3 Mile General Hospital for treatment but died from his injuries at about 7am on Sunday, September 6.

The worker’s identity has not been publicly released.

According to eyewitness Gibson John, the attack happened while the worker was attempting to feed the crocodile.

John told ABC News that the worker had brought a chicken towards the enclosure when the crocodile attacked and attempted to pull him into the water.

Bystanders reportedly struggled to help as the crocodile held the man’s legs in its jaws. John said the animal kept hold of the worker for more than an hour before emergency services arrived.

Video footage circulated online appeared to show the injured worker holding onto the side of the enclosure’s pool while people outside tried to assist him. One person reportedly used a pole through the fencing in an attempt to help.

John said security guards did not have firearms available at the scene and instead provided the worker with a small iron rod while police and St John Ambulance were contacted.

“He was in severe pain but he couldn’t scream.”

According to John, the worker was eventually freed after police reportedly shot the crocodile.

John said he later learned that the victim had lost a leg during the attack before being taken to hospital.

The worker was reportedly originally from the Western Islands in northern Papua New Guinea and had worked at Adventure Park for approximately two years.

Adventure Park has since been closed until further notice, while colleagues and staff mourn the worker’s death. ABC reported that staff members who witnessed the incident were gathering at a funeral home following his death.

The Port Moresby park regularly conducts crocodile feeding demonstrations in which handlers interact closely with the reptiles.

The circumstances of the attack have raised questions about safety arrangements around the crocodile enclosure, particularly the response available to staff and visitors when the incident occurred. However, there has been no official finding publicly establishing whether safety procedures were breached.

Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬:A Crocodile 🐊keeper at the Adventure Park in Port Moresby, 14 Mile, was attacked by his own crocodile.Police 👮shot the crocodile dead and saved the man, although both of his legs were bitten off by the crocodile. pic.twitter.com/arYA3MnJfl

— marknehpets (@mapkpets) September 5, 2026

Authorities and the park are expected to provide further information as inquiries into the fatal incident continue.