A man feeds a piece of meat offered by devotees to a crocodile at the Manghopir Sufi saint shrine on the outskirts of Karachi April 17, 2014. Visitors and devotees go to the shrine to pay respect to the Sufi saint, Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan and to feed t
A man feeds a piece of meat offered by devotees to a crocodile at the Manghopir Sufi saint shrine on the outskirts of Karachi April 17, 2014. Visitors and devotees go to the shrine to pay respect to the Sufi saint, Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan and to feed the crocodiles, as a tribute to the divine. REUTERS/Athar Hussain (PAKISTAN - Tags: RELIGION ANIMALS SOCIETY)
A man feeds a piece of meat offered by devotees to a crocodile at the Manghopir Sufi saint shrine on the outskirts of Karachi April 17, 2014. Visitors and devotees go to the shrine to pay respect to the Sufi saint, Pir Haji Syed Sakhi Sultan and to feed the crocodiles, as a tribute to the divine. REUTERS/Athar Hussain (PAKISTAN - Tags: RELIGION ANIMALS SOCIETY)

A 58-year-old reptile handler was feeding a saltwater crocodile at Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo in Queensland, Australia when the reptile decided to include the man's thumb as part of its meal on Sunday.

To get the croc's attention, the man waved his hat in his left hand and a chicken in the right when instead of biting the fowl, the beast leapt out of the water and snapped at his left hand. It also pulled him into the water, cutting with its teeth the poor man's left thumb and part of his hand up to his wrist, reports Brisbane Times.

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With his fall into the water, the handler also sustained head injuries.

Paramedics rushed to the Childers wildlife park where the reptiles are kept. The RACQ Careflight rescue chopper also arrived to airlift the handler to the Bundaberg Base Hospital where he will undergo surgery on his hand.

He is in a stable condition prior to the surgery.

Crocs often fascinate humans that to take a souvenir shot of one such reptile in Costa Rica in 2014, a photographer almost became another animal's meal like what happened to the handler.

The lensman, who was crouched in long grass, was throwing pieces of meat to the crocodile so it would come nearer and he could take better photos. He didn't notice that while shooting photos, there was another croc that jumped out of the water towards him.

Fortunately, the photographer was able to run to safety to the riverbank, reports Travel AOL.

To contact the writer, email: v.hernandez@ibtimes.com.au