A 17ft long crocodile eats scientist feeding it after it dragged her into its enclosure.
Deasy Tuwo, 44, was giving the crocodile, named Merry, lumps of meat last Friday morning in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
But the beast stood on its hind legs and leaped an 8ft high concrete wall to pull the researcher into the shallow water.
Horrified staff at the facility – named the CV Yosiki Laboratory – made the grim discovery at around 8.45am when they noticed a “strange shape” in the water.
They then saw the crocodile laying on the ground with Deasy’s savaged body in its jaws.
The reptile had ripped off Deasy’s left arm and mutilated her upper torso.
Rescue workers battled to retrieve Deasy’s body from the croc, which thrashed violently every time they tried to approach it.
Merry was pictured strapped to a flat-bed truck to be taken for medical tests to confirm that he had eaten the body parts.
Friends describe Deasy as a “quiet person” who loved animals.
Former Colleague Merry Supit said:
“She was the head of the lab. A quiet person. We’re confused about how this has happened.
“The crocodile eats chicken, tuna and meat. Everything must be fresh, he doesn’t want to eat if it’s frozen or has died a few days”
Deasy’s colleague Erling Rumengan said:
“We were curious when we looked at the crocodile pool, there was a floating object, it was Deasy’s body.
“We were afraid to touch it and we immediately reported the incident at the Tombariri police station.
“It’s possible the crocodile jumped from the side. Maybe it’s because the crocodile was still full, it didn’t finish eating her body.”
Staff said that Merry had been an aggressive animal that had previously attacked and killed another crocodile that had been in its pool
The crocodile will be evacuated to a wildlife rescue center in Bitung district where tests will be carried out on its stomach.
Police said they were trying to trace the owner of the crocodile after the incident. He is believed to be a Japanese businessman who opened the research facility.
They said he was not at the centre at the time of the incident.
Raswin Sirait, Tomohon Police Chief, said:
“We are still looking for the owner of the crocodile, besides that we have coordinated with the authorities in the area.
“I believe the owner must acknowledge this horrible incident. But we have neither seen him nor know where he is.
“We also need to know if he is legally permitted to own crocodiles and other expensive aquatics in his company. If there is no permit, he will be detained.”
