WARNING: Some readers may find these images confronting.
Video obtained by 9News reveals the moment Monday’s feeding session went horribly wrong.
It began as a routine display at Townsville’s popular Billabong Sanctuary.
Video shows the ranger on one side of a chain link fence and Junior, the two-metre crocodile, on the other.
Suddenly, the reptile leaps from the ground, getting its head above a lower part of the fence, to the left of the ranger, and latches on to his finger.
The ranger is seen crouching on the ground, swearing and shouting in pain.
Onlooker Kate Javie, who was watching the feeding with her husband, told 9News one of her friends ran to reception to alert staff and get first aid supplies for the injured man.
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“He was in shock. He seemed as though he didn’t want to look at his hand,” she said.
Management described the incident as a consequence of bad timing, saying it would be investigated.
The 25-year-old was taken to hospital, having escaped serious injury.
“He was just apologising to us, we really felt for him,” Javie said.
Fortunately, Junior only latched on to the tip of the ranger’s middle finger and he is now on the mend.
“Maybe the sanctuary can see the footage and learn from it and make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Javie said.
