RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A man swimming in Lago do Amor in Campo Grande, Brazil, was surprised by a crocodile that chased him and bit his arm. The terrifying incident was filmed by a tourist in the area.
The tourist, Willyan Caetano, saw the man go into the lake and began to film with his cell phone. “He went into the water and started swimming in a restricted place,” he said. According to the witness, the man tried to swim faster when he realized that the animal was approaching. The footage shows the crocodile heading straight towards the swimmer until it bites his arm.
“Suddenly, to my surprise, a caiman starts chasing him. He tried to swim faster to escape, but the caiman managed to catch up and bit him. The man was able to get out of the water with a bloody arm and very scared, saying that he didn’t know there would be caimans there,” the tourist told local media.
Other people in the area called the Mobile Emergency Service following the attack. The swimmer was safe, except for minor injuries to his arm.
According to Garapeira Marinalva da Silva, in charge of a sugar cane juice stand at Lago do Amor for the past 5 years, this is the first time someone has entered the water to swim. The place is known for the presence of crocodiles. “Sometimes children go there, but then we tell them that there are caimans and that it’s dirty and they go back,” he said.
The caiman, also known as the yacaré caiman, can measure between 1 and 2 meters and weigh up to 60 kilos in adulthood. It is relatively easy to recognize because of its U-shaped snout. The tail is very thick and strong, representing 30% of its total body volume.
After the incident in late October, the debate was reopened about the lack of signs warning of the dangers in the lake. Although the area is known to the locals and there are multiple warning signs, signage will be reviewed again to prevent a tragedy.
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