Alligator bites off vet's forearm in Taiwan zoo

dpa German Press Agency Published: Wednesday April 11, 2007

Taipei- An alligator in a Taiwan zoo bit off a
veterinarian's forearm Wednesday when the vet was trying to treat the
sick animal.
The incident occurred at the Shoushan Zoo in Kaohsiung, south
Taiwan, when zoo vet Chang Po-yu was giving the alligator three
anaesthesia shots, so that he could treat the alligator's illness.

After having given the alligator its shots, Chang, thinking the
animal was under anaesthesia, tried to pull the syringe with his
left hand from the alligator, but the alligator suddenly turned
around and bit off Chang's left hand and forearm.

Chang was rushed to hospital. The zoo's security personnel arrived
at the scene one hour later, shot the alligator and freed Chang's
forearm from the alligator's mouth and sent it to the hospital.

Chang was conscious upon arrival at the hospital, and doctors
began sewing his left forearm back on.

"This is a difficult operation because we have to sew back his
muscles, nerves and blood vessels which are badly severed," one
doctor told reporters.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

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