On 18 June 2026, a three-year-old boy was mauled by at least one crocodile after ending up in the enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. The boy was pulled out by zoo staff and taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries; he remains in a critical but stable condition. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but has been released on bail because he is not fit to be interviewed – he reportedly has learning disabilities and was at the zoo with carers. The incident has raised urgent questions about visitor safety and how a young child could come to be inside a crocodile enclosure.
The zoo at Johnsons of Old Hurst is a family-run farm that has expanded into a popular attraction with over 100 animals, including African lions, Bengal tigers and crocodiles. Crocodilians first arrived in 2006, and the collection now includes broad-snouted caiman, Nile crocodiles and American alligator. They are housed in a converted cattle barn with metal-fenced elevated walkways that look down onto large pools surrounded by tropical vegetation. According to witnesses, the zoo owner’s wife, Tracey Johnson, jumped into the 15-foot pit to rescue the child. The zoo has declined to comment further while police investigate.
“What the crocodile attack at a UK zoo means for visitor safety.”
For UK readers, this case highlights the safeguards that exist at zoos and the rare but devastating consequences when they fail. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities enforce strict regulations on dangerous wild animals, but the incident shows that no system is foolproof. Cambridgeshire Police are treating it as a critical incident and are working to establish how long the boy was in the enclosure and exactly how he got there. The MP for Huntingdon, Ben Obese-Jecty, has urged people to refrain from speculation online as the investigation continues.
Q: What happened to the boy? He was attacked by at least one crocodile after ending up in the enclosure. He suffered serious injuries, including a broken arm and pelvis, though it is unclear which were from the attack and which from the fall. He remains in a critical but stable condition.
Q: Why was the man arrested and then released? A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He was described as “not fit for interview” – likely because of his physical or mental state – and has been bailed until 18 September 2026. Police said he is not known to the child.
Q: Is the zoo still open? The rest of the site remains open as normal, but the Tropical House (which contains the crocodile enclosure) has been closed “out of respect to the family”. The crocodiles have not been seized or killed.
What happens next depends on the police investigation. Detectives from Cambridgeshire’s major crimes unit are speaking to witnesses and examining CCTV and other evidence. The zoo’s planned opening of a new museum, scheduled for the weekend after the incident, is now uncertain. For the moment, the family of the boy remains the focus of support from specialist officers, and the arrested man is under bail conditions while inquiries continue.