Watch: Alligator snaps the handler’s arm at a birthday party

Hyderabad: Birthday parties might be all fun with all kinds of refreshments. But when you decide to host a birthday party at a reptile park, make sure you are ready for some unexpected horror along with the fun.

A five-year-old’s birthday party at the Scales and Tails petting zoo in West Valley, Utah, turned into a horror when the eight-foot alligator named “Darth Gator” bit the handler’s hand and dragged her into its enclosure. However, the handler managed to free her hand from the jaws of the reptile with the help of brave visitors. Now, the video of the stunning escape is going viral on the internet.

The gator’s handler, identified as Lindsay Bull, seemed to have opened the door to feed the reptile in a small pool. As she was explaining about it to the visitors, the reptile, in a split-second, bit her hand and wouldn’t let go. As Bull tried to free her hand from its jaws, the reptile started rolling violently.

Bull told a local news outlet that she realised the gator was about to do the famous “death roll” and decided to roll with it to save her arm.

The footage also showed children watching the encounter before being ushered away by adult guests.

As Bull struggles with the alligator, a visitor – identified as Donnie Wiseman – quickly reacted to the situation. He is seen quickly jumping into the water and climbing on the top of the reptile, to keep it in control. Donnie then, with the guidance of the handler, tries to remove the handler’s hand while preventing the arm from being torn off.

After grappling for nearly two minutes, the reptile finally let loose its jaws and the woman’s hand was freed. Another spectator named Todd Christopher then immediately pulled Bull out of the water before she instructed Wiseman out of the enclosure as he removed himself from the animal’s back.

Sharing the incident while thanking the ones who acted bravely in the situation, the reptile park Scales and Tails wrote: “We want to send a huge shoutout to Donnie Wiseman and Todd & Amy Christopher! We want to thank them for their heroism.”

In another series of posts, the reptile park also mentions that the handler Lindsay Bull is being treated with high doses of antibiotics and her hand can function normally after recovery.