From: The Times
April 23, 2007

Catapult boy is eaten after taunting crocodile in pen




A schoolboy who climbed over a fence into a crocodile enclosure and taunted the animals with sticks and a catapult was dragged into the water and eaten.

The nine-year-old, whose family name was given as Liu, and three friends sneaked into the crocodile park at the Silver Beach holiday resort at Beihai in the southwestern Guangxi region on Friday.

The children shot at the animals with catapults and beat them with sticks.

The official Xinhua news agency said: “One of the irritated crocodiles bit Liu’s clothes and dragged him into the water where he was eaten by a swarm of crocodiles.” His companions then raised the alarm.

Investigators searched for the missing boy and decided to check inside the crocodiles. Snipers used pork to lure them out of their pool and shot dead the first animal to lumber on to the bank.

Inside it they found human remains that were confirmed to be those of the boy.

The crocodiles were still being bred, even though their performances at the park were stopped several years ago and the pool had been sealed off for auction.

The park’s owner had hired a keeper to take care of the crocodiles, but it was unclear why the man was not at the enclosure when the boys broke in. The manager and the keeper were being questioned by police.

Animal welfare has long been a low priority in China, where many zoos have for years provided bare and often squalid pens for animals that spend their entire existence in the public eye. Even at the Beijing Zoo, the prized pandas must now be cordoned off well out of reach of visitors. People have in the past tossed food wrapped in plastic bags into their pens which destroyed the digestive system of at least one of the endangered animals.

The latest scandal to attract public attention came last year in Shanghai when a city zoo cancelled its “Animal Olympics” after shows featuring boxing matches between kangaroos and their keepers, bears fighting and riding bicycles and an elephant tug-of-war drew unwelcome publicity. The event was cancelled after animal rights groups posted reports and pictures on the internet.

Reptiles 1, Bratty kids 0

Where were this kids parents?

A 9 year old knows the difference between right and wrong and they know how dangerous crocs are. I feel bad for him because he is only a child but if you mess with crocs you are going to die.

I was thinking the same thing.

I'm kind of ticked though a croc had to die because of some idiot kid.

Agreed.

Stupid little turds...the gator should have eaten them all.

edit:Excuse me...croc not gator...

One less dumbass in the world~ beating animals is disgusting luckily Karma had her way with the stupid brat. It's shameful they had to kill the crocodile for someone elses stupidity

moral of the story, don't mess with Crocodiles... IMO

STUPID BRAT! HOW DARE U MAKE A CROC DIE! "shoots all the bratty kids."

lol! little brat deserved it.

"stupid crocidiles! i hate you and sneak out so i can beat you! take this and that and..... AHHHH HE'S GOT MY L... "

high five crocidiles! job well done. now we need to find a way to let some crocodiles loose on those laguna beach kids.....

Heh, when 9 year olds are capable of doing this it makes me lose faith in humanity

litte kids can be very cruel. this is nothing new.


i think it's funny that he's referred to as 'Catapult Boy'

Yes I ageee the crocoldie should not have been killed. I'm sorry the boy was killed but this is what happen's when you poke them with sticks and hurt them the crocodiles were only defending them selves.

Probably handing him the rocks. Ummmm tender morsel for the croc. To many people anyway.

Ya know.. I keep saying that humans are pray animals. We're soft and squishy... and there are quite a few of us who are dumb enough to jump into a pen with preditors. Preditors that will be more then willing to show how soft and squishy we really are.

is a catapult a sling shot? Or were the kids launching these at the crocs?


Click to view attachment

truethat!

This is a good example of natural selection...

lmao!

I get the soft and cuddly critter line at my job ALL THE TIME. Picture this a toddler sits next to the viewing window of a Apex predator (Ursus maritimus) the bear in question keeps swimming by the glass touching the glass right where food item (child) is sitting. The mommy person says "oh look he likes you!" That is until some unkind keeper or a child of zoo keepers say "oh yes he likes them as a snack, there just about seal size". its truly amazing how fast people can really move. makes me laugh.

Stay at home and dont tease animals. In Australia we respect crocs coz they are the largest crocodiles in the world. Bigger that the american alligator they'd eat ya kid, ya dog, your tin dingy and the american alligator. !!!!!!

You couldnt be any wrongerer,The american alligator would kickthe crocs ass.AND THEN it would eat the croc but then it would throw it up cause it tasted gross,I hate how evrybody thinks crocs are so cool.

Snake... the saltwater croc is consideribly bigger then the american gator...

Size dosnt matter in some fights silver.

Why shoot the croc? It's just the same as when the hunters go out and track and kill a big shark after it's eaten someone. It's simple in my book, don't go in the bloody water. They were here before us, it's their domain RESPECT IT !!!!!! and don't kill'em.

Gators have no chance against a huge saltwater croc though. Those crocs are so huge, that they would just snap the gator in half.

Crocs have no chance against an alligator,The gators are so fast it would tear the croc into small bite sized peices.

ARE YOU SERIOUS HE WAS 9! thats such a horrible ignorant thing to say. he deserved to die. wow. your a chump

I agree!

Arrogence may be our paradox.

But we still can explore, isn't that our nature? We just have to teach those youg'ns to respect and understand our surroundings. We have to remember he was a little boy. I have one, from your screen name, I'm assuming you are male. You didn't throw peanuts, with intent to hit for self amusement, at the merecats, chimps, or what ever animal they let you feed at the zoo? Granted he was, F'n with a croc but in his world they exist and he was trying to show off. People are people(I'sn't that a song?)

How the heck any body be that...retarded. But no surprise. You mess something like a Croc your going to get eaten. By the way do we put this one the stupidest way to day.

shame about the croc,

btw a saltwater croc would whip an alligator anyday, munch it for breakfast, and still have room for pavarotti.

edited for cultural ref.... still have room for barry white.

lol....there's going to be alot of people googling Barry White....

Oh please,A gator would open up a huge can of woopass on the croc and still have enough energy to kill another.Crocs are so overrated,I have no clue why people like them.

Wow, you truly don't know what you are talking about.


In some fights. But I think two monstrous reptiles going at eachother can't really get that complicated. You have no reason to say an alligator would win and are just argueing for no reason.

If the kid was that stupid, it was for the best. One less moron to reproduce on the genepool.

you do have proof do you? why continue .
anyways back to topic. the kid was a great dinner for the croc. too bad that was the last dinner for the big ol chum

Indeed, where were they ?? He was only 9 for pete's sake, I wonder how they're feeling now ??

That said, the kid got what he bargained for, crocs aren't toys/pets/playthings........

croc: he dared challenge our supremacy! kill the human race!

Yes i did want to argue but that was befor i changed,Now i wont do that or try at least.

Good on ya! Sink ya teeth in to these bloke.................. Oh , their cool only if there not hanging off ya limbs rolling to tear your flesh of your bones.
P.S Come to Australia for holidays . "I'll take ya fishing". he,he

WOW I cant believe the mods can let people say stuff like this without getting banned. HE was 9 F*****G years old. he was a child he couldnt weigh choices and consequences. your a punk like 80% of this forum, if that was your kid that was dead im sure you wouldnt say "one less moron to reproduce the genepool."

yeah... women lie...

OH crap wait, you were talking about crocodiles and alligators.


As everyone said anyway, crocodiles are larger than alligators and so have more power (they use their weight and obviously their jaw muscles).

jeez... you sure don't have any other kids in your family huh? my eight year old neice understands consequences and is not idiotic to jump into a fenced off area that harbours dangerous animals. Heck, my four year old nephew knows and understands that. He was beating an animal for no reason other than to show off, he's dimmer than a dimming switch turned off. I for one am more than happy he's out of the picture so that he won't grow up to assault other animals - domestic or wild. It's one less raisin in a fruit cake.

Have to agree with Reload, he was just a boy. Kids do stupid things, he made a mistake and paid the ultimate price, his life. I cant believe how insensitive some of the comments are on this, its pretty sick saying this child deserved to die.
As a mother myself i find this pretty upsetting.

The croc only did what came natural and the park should have been maintained better.

your an idiot...go to hell. I could see someone saying something like this (even though it would still be ignorant and horrible) about a teenager. but the kid was 9 years old. it would be better if people like you would die and that 9 eyar old would survive.

So... you'd want someone who cares about animals and the world around him to die, whilst wanting a brat who attacks animals knowing full well the danger they repersent (big teeth, behind a wall) to live, who may have grew up and beat animals for the hell of it and probably turned into crime.

Liberal much?

***SNIP*** that "brat" was a 9 year old child. ***SNIP***

a kid from the age of 7 understands what walls are for and why you don't jump into a fenced off area harbouring dangerous animals. He may have been 9 but he full well knew the danger of committing such action. As I say again, my eight year old neice understands why you don't climb over a wall because you can fall and hurt yourself (seeing as kid's have the balance of hatchling). That being said any child over the age of 7 - may not understand but obviously comprehends that such action can result in injury or death. On top of that, he was aggrivating the animal before foolishly climbing in the den, if he had not been committing animal cruelty or being a plain idiot he may have lived. But he didn't, he was idiotic and an evil kid who - if he didn't get eaten - should have been punished straight afterwards for being stupid and for aggrivating/breaking into the den (when there would have been many-a sign saying to keep out, not like you need them anyway). His death was his own fault and due to cruelty and stupidness (yes... I know stupidness isn't an actual word).

then why did you say it? I dont care if it was animal cruelty yes he should be punished but not killed, I dont think the aligator should of been killed either and he ATE A LITTLE BOY. death is never a solution. he wasnt evil just immature. grow up buddy

I don't think you fully grasp the concept of "Big teeth + fleshy idiot animal = fleshy idiot animal that's been throwing things at an animal with big teeth, eating and killing the idiot fleshy animal."

He died because he willingly and knowingly climbed, (climbed) into a den full of crocodiles (crocodiles - agressive territorial animals) after aggitating it by throwing things at it. It was his own fault entirely and - unless he had a bad case of the stupid - should not have climbed into a den full of crocodiles. Being 9 has nothing to do with anything, 4 years olds understand (even if they don't comprehend) not to climb into cages with dangerous animals.

Anyway, My points across, I'm leaving it at this.

What a sad thread. Sure the kid did something stupid as kids sometimes do, but he was still just a kid. I mean he was only 9... little kids arnt always perfect and dont always do the right things.. its apart of growing up. Some kids might know not to jump the fence, while others might take the dare in that moment of time and be alittle more boyish, if I can use that word. Anyway all I think is that it wouldve been a horrible way to die, especially for a little kid. I feel very sorry for his parents and friends.

And it doesnt make me sad that they killed a crocodile to see if the boy had been eaten because I guess they needed evidence. It just makes me sad that people think a 9yr deserved it.