Screaming crocodile handler 'nearly loses his genitals' after 15ft beast runs out of patience and clamps its jaws around him in front of horrified theme park visitors

A shocked crocodile handler came within an inch of losing his manhood when a 15-foot beast bit him between the legs after being poked with a stick in his enclosure.

The experienced reptile expert was giving a display to dozens of visitors at the Crocodile Creek theme park just north of Durban in South Africa when he was viciously attacked.

The Nile Crocodile - the largest living reptile and with the most powerful bite force in the world - suddenly whipped its head round and clamped its jaws on him.

The shocked handler shrieked as he saw the predator latch onto him just below his waist and pull him to the ground as a second slightly smaller crocodile ran to join the attack.

Horrified tourists screamed for help as the giant croc kept the handler pinned down but he managed to stand and the beast with 64 teeth released allowing him to run to safety.

The handler was filmed repeatedly poking the reptile with a stick before it suddenly whipped its head around and attacked him

Footage taken by an onlooker captures the moment the handler is thrashed about the enclosure at the attraction in Ballito, Kwa-Zulu Natal province.

He is said to have sustained a serious leg injury and was rushed to the Victoria Hospital to have urgent stitches.

A tourist who witnessed the attacked told emergency services who raced to help that the handler had both his hands on his groin and he quipped: 'Don't hold 'em - count 'em!'

A crocodile expert, who asked not to be named but viewed the footage, said: 'The croc was just giving him a warning. If he had wanted to kill him then trust me it could easily have.

'Where he was extremely lucky is that the second crocodile which rushed in did not bite him as if it had then they could have fought over him in a tug of war and torn him apart.

'It looks like it was the handler's lucky day and this croc was just a bit grumpy' she said.

The Reaction Unit South Africa which provides 24-hour security and medical aid arrived at the scene only to find that staff had already driven the handler for A&E treatment.

A member of staff told them: 'He had a serious injury to his right leg right by his genitals. 

The crocodile appeared to lose patience with the handler after being repeatedly poked by him, and it flung him to the floor

'If it was another inch over his future demonstrations may have been a little high pitched!'.

READ MORE: Man half-swallowed by a 13ft crocodile is saved when his wife bashes the reptile over the head with a log as it thrashed around trying to drown him at South African fishing spot 

Anthony Joubert pictured with his saviour - wife Annalize

In September 2022 Crocodile Creek handler Sean Le Clus was also attacked when he sat on the back of their main attraction Hannibal which is also a 5m huge long Nile Crocodile.

It is not known if the latest attack was also carried out by Hannibal but Sean got off the giant croc's back as a female approached but it whipped his jaws round and savaged his leg.

Fortunately the croc also let go and Sean who screamed in agony limped off to get medical help for a number of deep teeth marks in his leg.

Despite the injuries, he managed to get back to work the same day.

Nile Crocodiles can grow to 25 feet and run and swim at over 20mph and weigh up to 2000lbs and it is an ambush predator responsible for killing thousands of humans a year.

A Crocodile Creek spokesman said: 'While I am happy the employee managed to escape and is currently stable we are concerned about the violation of protocols at the time.

'When someone goes into the pond to give a display we require them to have another employee in there with them to monitor the situation and give help if needed' he said.

The video has gone viral on Facebook and Sharon Moodley said: 'Why would anyone provoke a wild animal. If you prod them to react well the they will definitely react!'

Maracia Geldenhuys said: 'Well what do you expect? He was worrying the croc while it was in a peaceful state. It is a wild animal after all. It is bound to have some type of reaction'.

Father-of-three Anthony Joubuert, 37, was attacked in a dam 360 miles away in Middleburg as he was fishing with his son

Some of the injuries sustained by Anthony Joubuert in another crocodile attack in South Africa last week

Last week father-of-three Anthony Joubuert, 37, was attacked in a dam 360 miles away in Middleburg as he was fishing with his son when a crocodile launched itself at him.

Although in only an inch of water it knocked him flat and swallowed both his legs up to the waist and was dragging him to deep water when his boss Johan van der Colff, 36, stepped in.

Johan grabbed his belt and began a tug of war as Anthony's brave wife Annalize, 33, grabbed a tree root and battered the 13 foot beast over the head until it leg go.

Johan is recovering in hospital from four horrific wounds and like the Crocodile Creek handler nearly lost his private part as well and it will take months for him recover.