Crocodylus Park & Zoo Former employee escapes conviction for keeping crocodile as a pet

[Jabiru96]

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A FORMER Crocodylus Park employee has escaped the jaws of a criminal conviction after he kept a saltwater croc as a pet to save it from death.

Matthew Danvers, 27, admitted he had possessed a protected animal without a permit.

The Darwin Magistrates Court heard on Thursday that the saltie – about 70cms long – was found at a Berry Springs property in January.


Prosecutor Martin Fisher told the court Danvers took the croc in 2012.

Mr Fisher said the croc had been tagged “in poor condition and recorded to be culled”.

The court heard the reptile was found in good condition and had since been relocated to the Territory Wildlife Park.

Magistrate Michael Carey asked “so in a sense he sort of thought he was saving it?”, to which defence lawyer Catherine Voumard said “yes”.

Ms Voumard said Danvers did not stand to benefit financially.

She said her client was in his final year of an environmental management degree and wanted a future in the sector.

Mr Carey noted one character reference claimed Danvers was allowed to take the croc.

“It sounds like somebody gave it to him to look after,’’ he said.

Mr Fisher said “that may have been the case” and there was never any accusation the croc had been stolen.

Mr Carey said it was clear Danvers had a “passion for wildlife” but had made an “error of judgment” when he chose to keep the croc without a permit.

Mr Danvers did not receive a conviction and was put on a good behaviour bond for six months.

Crocodylus Park owner Grahame Webb said although Danvers had good intentions, it was the principle of the matter.

“Croc management in the NT is only going to work if people follow the rules,’’ he said.

“People get tempted to break them but they risk the whole program by doing so.”

 

[Jabiru96]

Speaking of crocodiles, this is an interesting article about how you can actually physically adopt a saltwater crocodile from Crocodylus Park: Monsters Inc: All you need to know about adopting a baby saltwater crocodile in Northern Territory - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[Jabiru96]

Up to 30 juvenile saltwater crocodiles have escaped into Darwin suburbia:

Category: | NT News

MULTIPLE crocodiles have broken out of Crocodylus Park and there are fears several could remain on the loose in Darwin’s northern suburbs.

The great escape has come to light after a Palmerston woman ran over a metre-long croc on Vanderlin Drive on Thursday evening.

Crocodylus Park owner Grahame Webb said his staff was shifting juvenile crocodiles on Thursday to different pens when about 30 of them escaped by sneaking out through tiny holes in the security mesh.

While staff thought they had grabbed all of the escapees, it turned out some were still on the loose.

Regina Hazel said she heard a “thump” under her car wheels at 9.15pm and pulled over to see what it was.

“I just saw it out of the corner of my eye and I went to swerve but it was too late,” she said.

“I knew it wasn’t a human.

“There was lots of swearing, like, what the ****.”

Regina Hazel couldn't believe her eyes after she ran over a metre-long saltwater crocodile on Vanderlin Drive.
A motorbike and a 4WD driving behind her also stopped.

She said they presumed it was a fake crocodile.

“We thought it was safe so we went to pull it off the road, but it definitely wasn’t fake.”

The wandering croc was still alive, despite having a bloody nose and a nasty headache.

“Normally I wouldn’t have taken a photo, but no one would have believed me,” Ms Hazel said.

“It’s gone over the walking track on Vanderlin Drive (before walking onto the road).”

Mr Webb said he was extremely embarrassed, and staff was re-checking the surrounding gates thoroughly.

He said it was impossible to do a recount of the crocodiles to ensure the correct number were in the pen because it required pumping out three swimming pools.

“If anyone sees any others please give us a call,” he said.

It is the second escape from the park in less than a week.

Earlier this week another prehistoric absconder - a 1.5 metre saltie - handed himself in at the nearby police headquarters and was quickly surrounded by officers.

Mr Webb said he wasn’t sure how that crocodile managed to escape.

“It’s a human error thing,” he said.

“Where else would you strike that?”