Brave zookeeper jumps into crocodile enclosure to save toddler

©Thomas Couillard via Unsplash

A three-year-old child from the United Kingdom was seriously injured last Thursday after falling into a zoo’s crocodile enclosure. The boy was rushed to a hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries. According to police, he is in critical but stable condition.

The incident took place at Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo, near Huntingdon. Emergency services responded en masse after reports that a child was inside the crocodile enclosure. The enclosure is located in the zoo’s Tropical House. The child escaped even more serious injuries thanks to the quick intervention of zookeeper Tracey Johnson. She acted immediately when the tragic incident occurred, preventing worse from happening.

Police arrested a 30-year-old man but quickly concluded that he could not be questioned due to his mental state. According to The Telegraph, an investigation is now underway into the role played by the suspect’s companions, who were with him at the zoo.

Praise is being directed primarily at the zookeeper’s heroic actions. The 55-year-old co-owner of the park is said to have jumped from a height of 4.5 meters to rescue the child.

Chris Newman, an acquaintance of hers, also described her actions as “exceptionally heroic” on the BBC radio program Today. Newman used to keep crocodiles himself in the enclosure where the incident took place. “Although she’s a heroine, I wouldn’t have expected anything less from her. She’s incredibly brave and tough,” he says. He particularly praises her lightning-fast reaction. “Crocodiles react to movement. If something enters their territory, their instinct is to snap and bite down. That’s their nature.”

According to a witness, staff were alerted by screams when the toddler ended up among the crocodiles. “Before we knew it, zoo staff were running in from all directions,” the witness told The Telegraph. Johnson herself has not yet responded to the news.

©Thomas Couillard via Unsplash - illustrative image