Manhunt Launched for Giant Crocodile That Ate 1-Year-Old in Front of Father

A manhunt is underway in Malaysia for a crocodile that killed a 1-year-old in front of his father, who desperately tried to save him.

The father and son had been fishing on a river in Sabah, Malaysia when the 11-foot crocodile lunged from the water and attacked the boy.

He became locked in a battle with the reptile as he unsuccessfully attempted to pry his son from the crocodile's jaws, Malaysian newspaper The Star reported.

The crocodile disappeared beneath the water with the toddler, resurfacing while holding the boy's body before disappearing altogether. The father, who has not yet been identified, escaped with severe injuries from the brawl.

Wildlife rangers are now on the hunt for the crocodile but have had no luck.

"It is quite hard to capture the crocodile at sea. [On December 4] our men shot one dead but later discovered that it was not the one that attacked the child," Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga told The Star.

Wildlife officials have several ways to identify the animal, Tuuga said, although it is not clear what those are.

The father was given stitches for his injuries which included bite marks and a deep wound to his head, Sumsoa Rashid, the head of the Lahad Datu Fire and Rescue Agency said.

"His son is still missing and search operations are ongoing," Rashid told the newspaper.

Malaysia's rivers and coastal areas are home to saltwater crocodiles—a species with strong jaws and 80 sharp teeth. Saltwater crocodiles tend to be more aggressive than other crocodiles.

The reptiles do not usually hunt humans but they are extremely territorial, meaning they can attack when they feel provoked or threatened.

Some crocodiles become more aggressive when they lose their fear of humans. This can happen when they are frequently fed, or become used to human food. However, attacks and fatalities remain rare.

Many local people rely on the river in Sabah for food, meaning they have to take extra care while the crocodile is still on the loose.

"We have warned them of the extra dangers at the moment and to be especially careful because the crocodile is likely to be still in the area," Rashin said.

In August, a giant crocodile was filmed swimming in a lagoon with a dead man's body in its jaws. The 25-year-old man had been snatched by the crocodile after he entered the lagoon. The man had ignored warning signs at the park telling people not to enter the water.

Newsweek reached out to the Royal Malaysian Police for comment.

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