HIS unusual hobby has seen him dubbed the “British Crocodile Dundee”.
But Shaun Foggett, 31, is deadly serious about reptiles and has just opened the UK’s first crocodile and alligator zoo in Witney.
The father-of-three sold his family home to fund the new Crocodiles of the World centre in Crawley Mill, which will house more than 30 of the reptiles.
Mr Foggett turned his life-long love of crocodiles into a dedicated breeding programme aimed at helping some of the world’s most endangered animals.
He said: “I’m delighted it’s up and running. I’ve wanted to do it for a long time and it has been a struggle, but everything has now fallen into place.
“I admit it’s an unusual place to have a crocodile and alligator zoo, but I’m pleased people will now be able to see the conservation work we do and learn more about these amazing creatures.”
Mr Foggett first kept reptiles when he was 17 and started his crocodile and alligator collection, which requires a dangerous animals licence, nine years ago.
Last January the Oxford Mail revealed how 24 crocodiles and alligators lived in a purpose-built area at his home in Bibury Close, Witney.
The joiner saved for more than two years to secure the £100,000 start-up costs, and later sold his home to raise more cash.
Mr Foggett and his family – wife Lisa, 30, and children Billy, seven, Louie, five, and 20-month-old Shania – have moved into his brother’s house.
He said: “I loved having the animals at my home, but it was only going to be for a short amount of time while we set up the centre. It’s been a labour of love, but now I need to start making some money from it because I’ve run out. Crocs are intelligent, and the centre is all about conservation and education.”
Last night a new television show charting Mr Foggett’s quest to open the zoo aired on the Discovery Channel.
Viewers saw him visiting zoos and centres in the USA and Denmark to learn more about running his own.
Mr Foggett said: “It was an amazing experience.”
One of the star exhibits is a Siamese crocodile, which is so endangered only 200 now live in the wild.
Guests can see the crocodiles swimming underwater from special viewing areas and watch their life-cycle in the egg incubation and hatchling enclosures.
Other animals at the centre include a two-metre long monitor lizard, a four-metre reticulated python, a snapping turtle, a Meller’s chameleon and a pig-nosed turtle.
