Visitors to the Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali Shrine in Bangladesh would offer sacrificial chickens and goats to a giant crocodile, hoping for good luck.
But staff found the creature floating upside down in his enclosure and the 100-year-old croc is now dead from overfeeding, apparently due to an obesity-related condition.
Before its death, a visitor would offer up a meal and priests would bang on a gong to summon the chunky reptile for his snack.
The crocodile’s keeper, Mohammed Sarwar, claims that people have been offering up bigger portions.
“Usually it was just a chicken, but more recently, people have been offering even more, including goats, believing that big sacrifices meant more chance of a wish being granted,” Sarwar explained.
He also said that three other crocodiles lived in the same pond, but also died from overeating issues.
“The legend is that anybody who feeds the hunger of the crocodiles will have their heart's desire fulfilled,” Sarwar said.