Vet's forearm bitten off by Kaohsiung Zoo crocodile

A crocodile which was being tranquilized by a veterinarian at the Shou Shan Zoo in Kaohsiung City bit off the man's forearm yesterday.

Zoo section chief Chang Po-yu was undergoing surgery last night as doctors at a hospital in Kaohsiung tried to re-attach the man's arm. This is the zoo's second animal attack in a month.

On March 11, an gorilla at Shou Shan Zoo bit off the finger of a four-year old boy who was reaching out to the animal after. The boy was transported to a hospital for stitches.

According to a report by the Kaohsiung City Scenic Area Administration which runs the zoo, Chang was trying to retrieve a tranquilizer dart from the crocodile's hide while still outside the animal's enclosure when the crocodile turned its head and bit down on Chang's arm.

The report said that the tranquilizer dart was necessary to perform a medical procedure on the ailing crocodile, which had not been eating for a week.

Zoo workers immediately applied a tourniquet to Chang's arm to stop the bleeding and called for an ambulance to transport him to a hospital in Kaohsiung.

Meanwhile, after consulting with city authorities, the zoo asked police to shoot the animal to death in order to retrieve Chang's arm from the crocodile's mouth.

Under Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu's direction, Kaohsiung city secretary general Hao Chien-sheng visited the hospital where Chang is being treated and said that the city will fully assist in Chang's medical treatment.

Chang's surgery was scheduled to be completed late last night, Chen was expected to visit Chang at the hospital after.

Doctors at the Kaohsiung hospital said that they are optimistic that Chang's arm can be saved.

A worker at the zoo said that the crocodile attack was the worse accident that she has seen in the twenty-eight years she has worked at the zoo.