Crocodile Attacks Tourist In The Bacalar Lagoon

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The presence of crocodiles in the Riviera Maya region is well known. In the last few days these animals have attacked at least two people in the region. Thankfully none of the incidents have resulted in human casualties. The latest of these attacks came about over the weekend in the Bacalar Lagoon. A family of tourists that arrived to the region from Mexico City decided to spend their Sunday swimming in the lagoon. 

It had been about an hour the family had been swimming in the lagoon when the one of the tourists claims to have felt a weird sting in his leg. He recalls that at first he thought that he was cramping up. At one point though, he did get the sense that there was something in the water. That’s when he called out to the rest of the group. Alerting them to the presence of something in the water and pleading with them to take his son to shore. Eventually he also made it to shore, and that’s where he potentially realized the severity of what had happened.

“It had been about an hour since we’d been in the water. In the group there were adults and children with us. My main concern was that my son was swimming alongside me when I felt the bite! It was a strange feeling. In the moment, I wasn’t really able to grasp what was happening. It felt like I had a cramp, and then something was pulling on my leg.”

There Are No Crocodile Warning Signs In the Bacalar Lagoon

When the man arrived at shore his relatives pointed out to him that he was bleeding from what seemed to be a very deep wound in his left leg. He was luckily able to find help to tend to his injuries. The man recalled though that he panicked when he realized that he had been bitten because his son was still in the water. Ultimately all of the people that were swimming in the lagoon were able to exit the water safely.   

That may not be the case for the next tourists that decide to take a dip in the Bacalar Lagoon. The man attacked by the crocodile mentioned that he and his relatives never saw a sing in the area that warned them about the presence of crocodiles. That’s why they had no issue with getting into the water in the first place. He made a plea to local authorities to add warning signs to the area. In an effort to help avoid another crocodile scare or even a fatality. 

The Second Croc Incident In The Month of March

This incident in the Bacalar Lagoon was the first of two crocodile attacks in the region in just the month of March. At the begging of the month a crocodile attacked a child in the Bahia de Chetumal boulevard. The kid was fishing near the dock that connects to the boulevard that goes around the entire Chetumal Bay. The croc bit the child, and tried to push him back into the water. 

Eyewitnesses of the event say that it seemed like the crocodile ultimately gave up. After the child struggled to remain on land. In that instance the minor did present considerable injuries from the attack. Luckily though, he was helped by local law enforcement and medical personnel that arrived on the scene quickly. 

The entire Rivera Maya region is filled with lagoons that connect to the ocean. These fresh water areas are known for being the natural habitat of different types of wild life. Including of course, crocodiles. Going for a swim in certain areas that are not heavily patrolled can be a very bad idea. Although there’s still a chance that you’ll catch a glimpse of a crocodile near tourist hot spots since these are closely guarded there’s a better of chance of getting a timely warning before you get in the water.

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