A zoo family bravely rescued a three-year-old boy who had been thrown into a crocodile pit at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo near Huntingdon on Thursday, after his family watched in horror as a stranger allegedly dropped him 15 feet to the reptiles below.
Tracey Johnson, 55, who owns the family-run zoo, was among the first to react, leaping into the enclosure followed by her husband, zookeeper Andrew Johnson, 56, and their 29-year-old son, Edward. The trio managed to wrestle the child from the crocodile’s grip and bring him to safety. The boy suffered a broken arm and pelvis, which are believed to have been caused by the fall rather than a bite from the crocodiles.
Suspected attacker and his carers
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. Cambridgeshire Constabulary said the man and the child are not known to each other. He was later assessed as not fit for interview and has been released on bail until September 18.
The man was on an organised day trip to the zoo with a carer. A source told The Sun that the suspect has hearing difficulties and that two carers with him were, according to a witness, “on their phones” when he allegedly attacked the child. A mother who was at the zoo at the time told the newspaper: “I don’t know if it was definitely him but I saw one bloke of a bigger build; he had two carers with him and they weren’t paying him much attention. If it was him, his carers were maybe ten metres behind him and not paying much attention. They were English and chatting among themselves and on their phones.”
The Johnsons of Old Hurst site is a fourth-generation family operation that began as a dairy farm over a century ago. It has since expanded into a farm shop, butchery, tea room, steakhouse and a zoo housing more than 100 animals, including African lions, Bengal tigers, sloth bears and a range of reptiles. The reptile enclosure, opened in 2019, features Nile crocodiles, American alligators and broad-snouted caimans. The zoo’s crocodile collection began roughly two decades ago, initially used for disposing of waste meat from the butchery. Andy Johnson has been involved in a European published dossier on the farming, welfare and husbandry of crocodilians.
Safety measures at the zoo include elevated walkways and fencing around enclosures. A local resident described the crocodile enclosure as having a four-foot fence surrounding the walkway and a 15-foot drop to the crocodiles. Another resident said, “Everything is elevated, you’re far away from the animals.” The incident occurred inside the zoo’s Tropical House. It is thought the child was bitten either by a Nile or a saltwater crocodile. The saltwater crocodile is known to have the strongest bite of any living animal, with some studies recording a bite force of up to 3,700 PSI, while Nile crocodiles can generate around 5,000 PSI according to some sources, though direct comparisons vary by size.
The zoo issued a statement expressing their thoughts and prayers for the boy and his family, and the Tropical House has been closed until further notice out of respect for the family, while the rest of the site remains open. The zoo had celebrated International Crocodile Day the day before the incident, and it was featured in a two-part documentary called “Britain’s Tiger Kings – On the Trail with Ross Kemp.” Last year, Johnsons of Old Hurst was named best farm shop and delicatessen in Cambridgeshire by lifestyle magazine Muddy Stilettos, and its gin and vodka are made using distilled water from the crocodile enclosure.
Child’s condition and police investigation
Police were called to the zoo at 1.24pm by the ambulance service, which had already tended to the boy’s injuries. He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where on Friday Cambridgeshire Constabulary said the victim was in critical but stable condition. Detective Inspector Verity McCann said: “Our enquiries are ongoing as we continue to understand the circumstances surrounding this distressing incident. Our thoughts remain with the boy, and his family and specialist officers continue to support them through this difficult time.”
Local MP Ben Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, described the incident as “hugely traumatic” and confirmed he was liaising with senior officers. Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston said the incident was being treated as a critical incident. Enquiries by Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Major Crime Unit are ongoing.
