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Boy, 3, was attacked by crocodile at Cambridgeshire zoo, BBC understands
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- A three-year-old boy was critically injured after being attacked by at least one crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo near Huntingdon; he was pulled from the enclosure by staff and taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
- A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but has been bailed and is currently unfit for interview; police do not believe the man and child knew each other.
- The crocodile enclosure, part of the zoo's Tropical House, was closed following the incident, but the crocodiles have not been seized or killed; the zoo is fully licensed and had no prior safety incidents reported.
- Witnesses reported seeing a man with two women near the zoo shortly before the attack, and staff and an air ambulance responded promptly; investigations are ongoing to determine how long the boy was in the enclosure.
- The zoo, a family-run farm business established in 2006, houses various animals including crocodiles, lions, and tigers, and had planned a museum opening to celebrate its farm shop anniversary, though future events are now uncertain.
