April 14, 2007: Veterinarian loses arm to crocodile [warning: kinda graphic]

Undertoad · 04-14-2007, 09:50 AM

This item was found elsewhere on the Cellar but not really catalogued, so I'll post this anyway and plug in more detail.

full story

It all happened at the Shaoshan Zoo in Taiwan. And they were following procedure, it appears; the croc was first hit with a tranquilizer dart, but when the vet went to handle it, the tranquilizer had not taken effect for some reason.

And bam, the arm's off. It's almost educational to see it, because with Steve Irwin and whatnot, we've only seen successful croc handling by those who know what to do.

So another zoo worker shot the croc with an actual gun, which caused it to drop the arm and stalk away. What's weird is that they didn't find a bullet hole in the croc later - it was hit, but not punctured, and left the arm out of a state of shock ("did that dude just shoot me? WTF").

Now the good news: the arm was reattached after a seven-hour surgery.

milkfish · 04-14-2007, 10:03 AM

Well, that could have gone better.

I hope his buddies chip in to give the good doctor this T-shirt.

Larry · 04-14-2007, 10:06 AM

I forsee many "need a hand?" jokes.

tissy_uk · 04-14-2007, 10:09 AM

don't believe anyone who say croc's are basically 'armless creatures

Sheldonrs · 04-14-2007, 10:33 AM

What? You've never seen a crocodile handbag before?

littlenickyer · 04-14-2007, 10:38 AM

I guess this makes me the first today to make a tasteless (ha ha) reference to eating the image of the day. I have to say, I can't blame the crocodile. That veterinarian looks delicious.

piercehawkeye45 · 04-14-2007, 10:45 AM

God, I wonder how much that would hurt? Damn.

Happy Monkey · 04-14-2007, 11:35 AM

Yeah, crocs don't really have cutting-style teeth. They're more get-a-good-grip-and rip-style.

littlenickyer · 04-14-2007, 11:37 AM

ouch
must have been tough work for the surgeons if it was just ripped off.
I wonder if it still works properly. At least the crocodile didn't eat it.

Ibby · 04-14-2007, 01:27 PM

All the papers here have his big smiling mug on the cover now, big ol' thumbs-up for all the people who were SO worried by the incident.

Actually, there's a big uproar cause when it first happened, a buncha papers ran the story with the graphic picture (the second one UT used), and now people are all up in arms (ooh, ouch.) about the graphic violence.

milkfish · 04-14-2007, 01:40 PM

The zoo authorities are probably wishing they had put in some extra sessions of animal dress-up practice beforehand. Now we understand why such a thing might have been useful.

Nikolai · 04-14-2007, 02:34 PM

Well in Taiwan they'd probably eat that poor croc so I guess he was getting his own back

simian · 04-14-2007, 04:32 PM

A pawn shop owner in Kaohsiung reported a croc trying to pawn a watch and wedding ring, but the croc fled with the items when the pawn broker reached for the phone.

Karenv · 04-14-2007, 04:43 PM

The zoo bought the animal ten years ago from a local resident who had kept it as a pet.

Some kind of thanks!

Elspode · 04-14-2007, 05:39 PM

I hope somebody briefed the keeper about this creature. After all, forewarned is forearmed.

04-14-2007, 09:50 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	April 14, 2007: Veterinarian loses arm to crocodile [warning: kinda graphic] This item was found elsewhere on the Cellar but not really catalogued, so I'll post this anyway and plug in more detail. full story It all happened at the Shaoshan Zoo in Taiwan. And they were following procedure, it appears; the croc was first hit with a tranquilizer dart, but when the vet went to handle it, the tranquilizer had not taken effect for some reason. And bam, the arm's off. It's almost educational to see it, because with Steve Irwin and whatnot, we've only seen successful croc handling by those who know what to do. So another zoo worker shot the croc with an actual gun, which caused it to drop the arm and stalk away. What's weird is that they didn't find a bullet hole in the croc later - it was hit, but not punctured, and left the arm out of a state of shock ("did that dude just shoot me? WTF"). Now the good news: the arm was reattached after a seven-hour surgery.

04-14-2007, 10:03 AM	#2
milkfish A serene breakdown Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern NJ, USA Posts: 266	Well, that could have gone better. I hope his buddies chip in to give the good doctor this T-shirt. __________________ A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. - Joey Lauren Adams

04-14-2007, 10:09 AM	#4
tissy_uk Cantankerous Incantonator Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Leicester, UK Posts: 57	don't believe anyone who say croc's are basically 'armless creatures __________________ "Some people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience" Doug Larson

04-14-2007, 10:33 AM	#5
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	What? You've never seen a crocodile handbag before? __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

04-14-2007, 10:38 AM	#6
littlenickyer I Love Lamp Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 37	I guess this makes me the first today to make a tasteless (ha ha) reference to eating the image of the day. I have to say, I can't blame the crocodile. That veterinarian looks delicious. __________________ Chant it with me: "Sine Sine Cosine Sine 3.14159"

04-14-2007, 10:06 AM	#3
Larry Practically God Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 22	I forsee many "need a hand?" jokes.

04-14-2007, 10:45 AM	#7
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	God, I wonder how much that would hurt? Damn.

04-14-2007, 11:35 AM	#8
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Yeah, crocs don't really have cutting-style teeth. They're more get-a-good-grip-and rip-style. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

04-14-2007, 11:37 AM	#9
littlenickyer I Love Lamp Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 37	ouch must have been tough work for the surgeons if it was just ripped off. I wonder if it still works properly. At least the crocodile didn't eat it. __________________ Chant it with me: "Sine Sine Cosine Sine 3.14159"

04-14-2007, 01:27 PM	#10
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	All the papers here have his big smiling mug on the cover now, big ol' thumbs-up for all the people who were SO worried by the incident. Actually, there's a big uproar cause when it first happened, a buncha papers ran the story with the graphic picture (the second one UT used), and now people are all up in arms (ooh, ouch.) about the graphic violence. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

04-14-2007, 01:40 PM	#11
milkfish A serene breakdown Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern NJ, USA Posts: 266	The zoo authorities are probably wishing they had put in some extra sessions of animal dress-up practice beforehand. Now we understand why such a thing might have been useful. __________________ A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. - Joey Lauren Adams

04-14-2007, 02:34 PM	#12
Nikolai Greener than the rest Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Near London Posts: 68	Well in Taiwan they'd probably eat that poor croc so I guess he was getting his own back

04-14-2007, 04:32 PM	#13
simian -... ..- ... .... .. ... ... - ..- -..- .. -.. Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 19	A pawn shop owner in Kaohsiung reported a croc trying to pawn a watch and wedding ring, but the croc fled with the items when the pawn broker reached for the phone.

04-14-2007, 04:43 PM	#14
Karenv Slacker Join Date: May 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 144	The zoo bought the animal ten years ago from a local resident who had kept it as a pet. Some kind of thanks!

04-14-2007, 05:39 PM	#15
Elspode When Do I Get Virtual Unreality? Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Raytown, Missouri Posts: 12,719	I hope somebody briefed the keeper about this creature. After all, forewarned is forearmed. __________________ "To those of you who are wearing ties, I think my dad would appreciate it if you took them off." - Robert Moog

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