The world's most dangerous job? Crocodile wrestlers who put their head on the line

Playtime's not over yet! Somphop wrestles with the crocodile

Let's not get snappy here: Somphop gives the camera a little smirk as he puts his head in between the jaws of death

Staring into the abyss: Crocodile wrestler Somphop, 22, risks not seeing his 23rd birthday as he puts his head into the crocodile's mouth at Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo

The daily grind at the office may not seem so bad after viewing these startling images.

For, no matter how grumpy your boss may be this morning, at least you aren't actually risking life and limb by sticking your head in his jaws.

But that is exactly what the crocodile wrestlers at a Thai zoo do on a daily basis.
This astonishing series of photographs shows the men at the Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo performing what may well be the world's most dangerous job.

The wranglers have been performing the stunts at the zoo on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, since it was set up in 1985.

During the hour-long shows they stick their head between the jaws of some of the zoo's biggest crocs, in the style of Krai Thong, a legendary Thai crocodile hunter.
Photographer Bronek Kaminski, who witnessed the feat on a trip to the attraction, said: 'They are quite lively crocodiles. They are not lying around half asleep all the time.

'They are chomping at a bamboo stick and snapping their jaws and then they guys put them into some sort of trance and put their head into the croc's mouth.
He keeps it in there for a long time, and puts his arm in, right up to his shoulder.

'Then the crocodile goes back to being a wild animal. It's very impressive.

'I was not sure if they were actually going to do it so when they do you are really taken back by it.'

The centre also doubles up as a breeding zoo, and has more than 10,000 crocodiles.


Smile for the camera: Another wrestler grips a surprisingly docile beast and hoists him into the air

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