NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/china/article1690634.ece

Catapult boy is eaten after taunting crocodile in pen
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Jane Macartney in Beijing

A schoolboy who climbed over a fence into a crocodile enclosure and taunted the animals with sticks and a catapult was dragged into the water and eaten.

The nine-year-old, whose family name was given as Liu, and three friends sneaked into the crocodile park at the Silver Beach holiday resort at Beihai in the southwestern Guangxi region on Friday.

There is more to the story via the link.

Tragic. Poor kid.

Yet...worthy of a Jr Darwin?

I went to a crocodile park when I was in India, and was amazed to see the school kids there throwing things at the crocodiles. They were on the other side of a wall, but there were signs everywhere saying "Warning! Crocs can jump!".

Suffice to say, I took a few steps back.

Definitly worhty of a Jr Darwin award... Kinda like greasing up in sealflubber and dive in shark valley...

Um, poor kid?

I don't want to come off as heartless, but the boy got no less then he deserved, IMHO, and it's not stupidity I am talking about...

The children shot at the animals with catapults and beat them with sticks.

What lovely children indeed!

The only one for whom I have pity in this story is poor crocodile whom the investigators "searched" for the missing boy...

Um, poor kid?

I don't want to come off as heartless, but the boy got no less then he deserved, IMHO, and it's not stupidity I am talking about...



What lovely children indeed!

The only one for whom I have pity in this story is poor crocodile whom the investigators "searched" for the missing boy...

Well back when Steve Irwin died I posted that he was an accident waiting to happen. I got ripped to shreds. So today I am playing to the peanut gallery (!) with regards to the kid.

Like Irwin...it was tragic but inevitable.

Well, I’m not afraid of making my views known, no matter how different they might be from those of a general public.

*smiles bravely, and waits for flames for daring to even suggest that the “poor kid” was doing (grasp!) the wrong thing when he was taunting and beating vile nasty crocodiles*

I don't want to come off as heartless, but the boy got no less then he deserved, IMHO, and it's not stupidity I am talking about...

*smiles bravely, and waits for flames for daring to even suggest that the “poor kid” was doing (grasp!) the wrong thing when he was taunting and beating vile nasty crocodiles*

I wouldn't suggest that the kid wasn't do the wrong thing, but 'deserved' does seem a bit harsh. He was only nine; what he probably deserved was decent parents/park authorities telling him to stop it and giving him a slap.

Well back when Steve Irwin died I posted that he was an accident waiting to happen. I got ripped to shreds.

Too bad, since you were exactly right.

http://www.biografiasyvidas.com/monografia/darwin/fotos/darwin_charles.jpg
Charles Darwin approves of this death

Well back when Steve Irwin died I posted that he was an accident waiting to happen.

The difference was that Steve Irwin didn't poke animals with sticks and the like.

I wouldn't suggest that the kid wasn't do the wrong thing, but 'deserved' does seem a bit harsh. He was only nine; what he probably deserved was decent parents/park authorities telling him to stop it and giving him a slap.

Well, you are right here, what the kid really deserved was a good spanking (which he, quite possibly, never had in his short life) to make him realize how the animals he tormented had felt. Still, I cannot condemn the crocodiles for defending themselves in the only way they could. The ones really to blame (beside the kid himself, obviously) are the park’s authorities, who didn’t stop the taunting/beating as soon as it started (and perhaps fining the children’s families as well), and the children’s parents, who haven’t taught their children not to abuse animals in the first place.

I wouldn't suggest that the kid wasn't do the wrong thing, but 'deserved' does seem a bit harsh. He was only nine; what he probably deserved was decent parents/park authorities telling him to stop it and giving him a slap.

Absolutely. Its tragic that a child died in a horrific manner. You are right about the security of the place...and the parents. Maybe this ought story ought to be quoted to all kids or something. I mean really...even at 9 how can you not recognise one of our planets main large predators?

Too bad, since you were exactly right.

Yeah. Not that I took any joy in it.

I wouldn't suggest that the kid wasn't do the wrong thing, but 'deserved' does seem a bit harsh. He was only nine; what he probably deserved was decent parents/park authorities telling him to stop it and giving him a slap.slapping a kid? :eek: :eek: :eek: but that's a no no in our overly politically correct times, isn't it?

The difference was that Steve Irwin didn't poke animals with sticks and the like.

Quite.

http://www.gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2006_09_steveirwin.jpg

I'm torn.

See, I approve of painful and scarring life lessons in what NOT to do. Had the kid lost a limb, I would be comfortable saying, "YAY Croc!" and making jokes about disarming attackers.

But death is a bit... final. He never really got a chance to learn from his mistakes. I don't approve. Kids should live to learn from their stupidity.

At least the kid's two dumbass friends have probably learned a powerful lesson. *nod*

I'm torn.

See, I approve of painful and scarring life lessons in what NOT to do. Had the kid lost a limb, I would be comfortable saying, "YAY Croc!" and making jokes about disarming attackers.

But death is a bit... final. He never really got a chance to learn from his mistakes. I don't approve. Kids should live to learn from their stupidity.

At least the kid's two dumbass friends have probably learned a powerful lesson. *nod*

Yeah you do have a good point there. But surely there are acts of stupidity that really will always only end in one result.

At least the kid's two dumbass friends have probably learned a powerful lesson. *nod*

The real problem here, is what "lesson" will the kid's friends and possible brother/sisters learn from his death?

Will they realize that what the "poor kid" was doing was wrong? Somehow I doubt it.

Will they grow up thinking that crocodiles and other predators are vile creatures and that humanity will be better off with if they are wiped off the face of the Earth? This is a more likely possbility, I'm afraid. And what happens if one or more of these kids, who display so much kindness and sympathy for caged animals at the tender age of 9, get into position of power someday? I shudder to think...

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/6981/sign4na9.jpg

Wow, I think some of you are being unduly harsh on the kid, maybe if he was older,...but a 9 year old, c'mon, he's no way near old enough to apreciate how his actions affect the world around him, and certainly didn't "deservere" to be eaten. That's an absoloutely heartless and disgusting statement! Anyway, why were children this young being left unattended on their own enabling them to sneak into a resort and into a crocodile enclosure, surely there are Adults who could have acted more responsibly to have avoided this.

Go to many zoos in China and you'll see coke cans, golf balls, crisp packets and more littering different animal pens. It's simply atrocious but there seems to be no compunction regarding the taunting and simple torture of animals in zoos by adults and children alike.

Poor kid perhaps but, frankly, it serves as a due lesson in my book.

Wow, I think some of you are being unduly harsh on the kid, maybe if he was older,...but a 9 year old, c'mon, he's no way near old enough to apreciate how his actions affect the world around him, and certainly didn't "deservere" to be eaten. That's an absoloutely heartless and disgusting statement! Anyway, why were children this young being left unattended on their own enabling them to sneak into a resort and into a crocodile enclosure, surely there are Adults who could have acted more responsibly to have avoided this.

I dunno about you, but I wasn't stupid enough to go into predator enclosures at the zoo when I was 9. Let alone go in and then throw things at them. When you don't have a healthy respect for nature, you run the risk of getting fucked up.

Appalling attitudes towards animals are ridiculously widespread, it seems. 'Tis most unfortunate, and frustrating.

On stupidity grounds, okay, there might be a case there, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the death penalty for animal cruelty. Granted I know nothing about crocodiles, but look at its skin, I doubt you can hurt it much by poking it with sticks.

On stupidity grounds, okay, there might be a case there, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the death penalty for animal cruelty. Granted I know nothing about crocodiles, but look at its skin, I doubt you can hurt it much by poking it with sticks.

I think the teeth would cause a slight amount of concern as well.

I think the teeth would cause a slight amount of concern as well.
Well, you'd be ill-advised to stab a great white shark with a steak knife, due to the teeth, but it would probably still be hurt.

On stupidity grounds, okay, there might be a case there, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the death penalty for animal cruelty.

We don't have ANY penalty for animal cruelty, and here lies the root of the problem. If the kids were taught that hurting animals is wrong, this wouldn’t have happened.

Granted I know nothing about crocodiles, but look at its skin, I doubt you can hurt it much by poking it with sticks.

They didn’t cause any injuries to the crocodiles, of that I am certain, but it doesn’t mean the animals weren’t hurt; I am certain they were. Besides, the word they used in the article is not “poking”, but “beating”.

Wow, I think some of you are being unduly harsh on the kid, maybe if he was older,...but a 9 year old, c'mon, he's no way near old enough to apreciate how his actions affect the world around him, and certainly didn't "deservere" to be eaten. That's an absoloutely heartless and disgusting statement! Anyway, why were children this young being left unattended on their own enabling them to sneak into a resort and into a crocodile enclosure, surely there are Adults who could have acted more responsibly to have avoided this.
No reason for a 9 year old to be a complete dipshit. Good riddance.

On stupidity grounds, okay, there might be a case there, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the death penalty for animal cruelty.
This isn't the death penalty for animal cruelty, this is the death penalty for animal stupidity.

If the kids were taught that hurting animals is wrong, this wouldn’t have happened.
If kids were taught the animals would eat them, this probably wouldn't have happened.

I wouldn't suggest that the kid wasn't do the wrong thing, but 'deserved' does seem a bit harsh. He was only nine; what he probably deserved was decent parents/park authorities telling him to stop it and giving him a slap.

I'd say age is no barrier to deserving punishment for crimes. Take for example that pair of British brats who beat up a 4 year old with a brick and left him on the train tracks. They certainly knew what they were doing.

This particular kid doesn't deserve any sympathy at all. Probably thought he was invincible or something. If the croc didn't eat him, it'd probably be a bus or train he'd run into while driving like a hooligan at 16 in a stolen car.

I'm torn.

See, I approve of painful and scarring life lessons in what NOT to do. Had the kid lost a limb, I would be comfortable saying, "YAY Croc!" and making jokes about disarming attackers.


A limb? I'd say if he had to survive the incident, I'd recommend his balls. It's an unmanning experience like no other.

Um... the crocodiles, hurt? I doubt a crocodile would be particularly hurt to find that it's being attacked by a small pink ape-thing. If anything, they're probably happy they got an extra meal.
No reason for a 9 year old to be a complete dipshit. Good riddance.


This isn't the death penalty for animal cruelty, this is the death penalty for animal stupidity.


If kids were taught the animals would eat them, this probably wouldn't have happened.
Hence why I said 'on stupidity grounds...'. I'm responding to the people who think one is deserving of death for throwing stones at crocodiles.

Um... the crocodiles, hurt? I doubt a crocodile would be particularly hurt to find that it's being attacked by a small pink ape-thing. If anything, they're probably happy they got an extra meal.

Do you hurt if I hit you with a brick? I should think so. A crocodile has tougher skin, yes, but if you throw hard things at it, it's likely to become a tad bit annoyed. These things have a tolerance level to being annoyed, same as any human.

Do you hurt if I hit you with a brick? I should think so. A crocodile has tougher skin, yes, but if you throw hard things at it, it's likely to become a tad bit annoyed. These things have a tolerance level to being annoyed, same as any human.
Annoyed =/= hurt. I would think that it's pretty much a given they got rather annoyed in this situation.

Too bad, since you were exactly right.

Damn I got ripped up for daring to say Irwin's life of antagonizing animals was a death waiting to happen.

So, what about students who were picked on in school and shoot the students who picked on them? It's not like what's "deserved" is as much of an issue for animals as it is for humans anyway. I'd elaborate but I'll wait for your opinion on that...

The boy was an idiot. Animals run on instinct. You provoke a croc, it WILL eat you. You are going to come off second best with an animal that is at the apex of its' food chain.

Annoyed =/= hurt. I would think that it's pretty much a given they got rather annoyed in this situation.

Do you really think that if it didn't physically hurt, they wouldn't have gotten annoyed?

The boy was an idiot. Animals run on instinct. You provoke a croc, it WILL eat you. You are going to come off second best with an animal that is at the apex of its' food chain.
Especially if you are bite-sized for the animal.

Just because the croc has thicker, tougher skin, throwing things and poking or beating is still going to hurt. thicker, tougher skin doesn't mean there aren't nerve endings going to it. It would be harder to cause a WOUND, but not necessarily to cause harm.

Kids can sneak out and parents aren't the wiser. The kids should have known it wasn't acceptable, and that the crocs could kill them...ALSO...the park authorities should have a harder policy on patrons who taunt and harass the animals, so that people (who are obviously idiots) know that it is wrong to do so.

On stupidity grounds, okay, there might be a case there, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the death penalty for animal cruelty. Granted I know nothing about crocodiles, but look at its skin, I doubt you can hurt it much by poking it with sticks.

Actually, if you have ever held any large reptile (i admit i was holding an alligator not a crocodile) then only they very top spines are hard, the rest is really quite soft. If you poked anywhere on its underside with a stick you could quite easily pierce the skin.

Go to many zoos in China and you'll see coke cans, golf balls, crisp packets and more littering different animal pens. It's simply atrocious but there seems to be no compunction regarding the taunting and simple torture of animals in zoos by adults and children alike.
QFT. Their attitudes towards animals is medievel to say the least. I seen one zoo where you can pay the keepers to throw live chickens into the concrete pit where the lions live.

Twouldn't surprise me in this case if, not only were the adults not stopping the kids from abusing the crocs, but actually encouraging them. Heck, the 'keepers prob charge ya extra to let you hurl rocks at their animals (and supply the rocks).

Yet...worthy of a Jr Darwin?Tragic... but I think it will be worthy of a Darwin. submit it and let's find out.

Well back when Steve Irwin died I posted that he was an accident waiting to happen. I got ripped to shreds. So today I am playing to the peanut gallery (!) with regards to the kid.

Like Irwin...it was tragic but inevitable.the fact that Irwin was trained to handle such animals and didn't "poke and throw/catapult things at them" is a large difference.

But death is a bit... final. He never really got a chance to learn from his mistakes. I don't approve. Kids should live to learn from their stupidity. as my DM says... "If you kill em quickly, then they don't learn nuthin."

On stupidity grounds, okay, there might be a case there, but I'm pretty sure we don't have the death penalty for animal cruelty. Granted I know nothing about crocodiles, but look at its skin, I doubt you can hurt it much by poking it with sticks.I do believe a Croc can feel things hitting it's skin.

If kids were taught the animals would eat them, this probably wouldn't have happened.*nods* and if those kids were taught not to break into places in the first place...

Damn I got ripped up for daring to say Irwin's life of antagonizing animals was a death waiting to happen.ah, but why did he antagonized those animals. you realize what he did was no more than what other nature documentaries and their hosts do.

Another thing that sets Mr. Irwin apart from those kids is that he knew full well the consequences of his actions. He was filmed saying that if some croc or other predator got him, he wanted that filmed. if some croc was chowing down on him, get it on film to show that this was Nature in action and why Nature needs to be respected.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/china/article1690634.ece



There is more to the story via the link.

Tragic. Poor kid.

Yet...worthy of a Jr Darwin?

There's a terrible video on youtube that I can't link to here, but it shows a zookeeper at show taunting a croc.

It grabs his arm and rips it off.

I dunno about you, but I wasn't stupid enough to go into predator enclosures at the zoo when I was 9. Let alone go in and then throw things at them. When you don't have a healthy respect for nature, you run the risk of getting fucked up.

Appalling attitudes towards animals are ridiculously widespread, it seems. 'Tis most unfortunate, and frustrating.

Well said. And it also helped me that my parents taught me what "wild life" really meant.

Vic

Well back when Steve Irwin died I posted that he was an accident waiting to happen. I got ripped to shreds. So today I am playing to the peanut gallery (!) with regards to the kid.

Like Irwin...it was tragic but inevitable.

He even said so himself. If he was going to be killed, it'd be in the ocean, because that's a place where humans have unbelievably poor agility, and very few options when an attack is pending.

In short, he couldn't run like hell and jump into the bed of his truck and speed off. Then again, he ended up killing himself, since the stinger went right through him...

Those who poke and prod at wild animals deserve what they get. Kids who poke and prod at domesticated animals deserve to get bit. Ever wonder why kids who are attacked by dogs get their faces bitten? That's how dogs discipline their young, a quick nip to the nose to let them know they're being annoying. Stupidity is it's own reward.

Now, eighty five year old women walking down the street, probably moving away from the dog because they're afraid of big dogs, don't deserve to nearly get their legs torn off.

Definitely worthy of a Darwin Award. Wow. Well, at least he won't do that again. Kinda makes you wonder how and why the authorities in charge of the petting zoo let them go on tormenting the crocs. This being China, I'm sure nothing will change regarding said policy or the lack thereof, unless of course the poor little sod was related to a Party member.

Rest In Pieces.

Tragic... but I think it will be worthy of a Darwin. submit it and let's find out.

Sadly not...

Not a Darwin (but not safe either)
* Whizzing on an electric wire
* Smoking in an oxygen tent
* Being hit by a train or automobile
* Aerosol cans, etc., in the oven
* Climbing into zoo cages
* Falling off precipice while posing or pissing
* Carbon monoxide poisoning
* Most autoerotic deaths
* all too common!

http://darwinawards.com/rules/