Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei police launched a manhunt for a crocodile Thursday after a rise in attacks by the giant reptiles in the sultanate, authorities said.

On Wednesday a 56-year-old man was hospitalized with severe injuries to his hand and shoulder he sustained after being attacked by a crocodile while washing his feet on the banks of the Kampong Benutan river.

Crocodile attacks are arguably on the rise in Brunei, with two crocodile-related deaths reported in September. Revenge killings are also on the rise.

After 4-year-old Sharizan Anak Sumua was "dragged away" into the waters by a crocodile two months ago, her family hunted down and killed two crocodiles, but post-mortems revealed nothing that resembled human body parts inside the beasts, leading to public criticsm of the hunts.

The attacks sparked fear among tourists, leading to concerns they may affect Brunei tourism, which is heavily dependent on water sports.

"I am no crocodile hunter like Steve Irwin, so I am not going to risk putting my life straight into a crocodile's mouth," said British national Geraldine Watson, referring to the late Australian nature TV personality.

But tourism department director Sheikh Jamaluddin Sheikh Mohamed claimed the rise in attacks might also have a positive impact on tourism.

"This shows that Brunei is indeed rich with flora and fauna that tourists need not travel a long distance to see wildlife," he said. (dpa)