A KZN crocodile handler was rushed to hospital yesterday after being attacked by a crocodile during a live show.

Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) was dispatched to Crocodile Creek in Greylands after receiving reports that a crocodile handler had been attacked.

The handler suffered serious leg injuries after the crocodile attacked him when he was stroking it with a wooden stick.

The owner of Crocodile Creek, Peter Watson, told The Witness that the handler is in a stable condition and that medical personnel at Victoria Hospital managed to stop the bleeding.

“While I am happy that the employee managed to escape and is currently stable, we are concerned about the violation of protocol. When someone goes into the pond, we require them to have another employee standing by to monitor the situation,” Watson said.

A video of the incident, shared by Rusa, shows the handler limping away after the crocodile grabbed him and pulled him to the ground, before letting him go.