An irresponsible tour guide put his group in serious danger when he grabbed a crocodile by its tail during a boat trip.
Footage filmed by a tourist shows how one woman starts panicking as the large reptile glides towards the small vessel.
The guide starts splashing his hand in the water in a bid to get the croc to come closer to his group.
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As the predator turns and starts paddling away from the boat, the guide grabs its tail with his bare hands and lifts it into the air.
The woman can be heard saying “No, no, no” and shrieking as the reptile wriggles free and splashes in the water.
It goes into the mangroves before coming back menacingly towards the boat and disappearing again.
The clip was filmed in Río Lagartos, west of Cancún, Mexico, and was shared online on Monday (5 Aug).
The reptile, apparently named “Panchito”, is reportedly a Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii).
Specimens usually grow to about three m (10ft) in length and they are capable of overpowering humans.
Morelet’s crocodiles are highly territorial, as reported by Need To Know.
They have attacked more than 100 people over the past decade and, on average, one person is killed by one every year.
Local media criticised the guide’s actions, calling them “irresponsible” and saying they put the tourists in danger.
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