WA: Crocodiles discovered in drug raid

AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2000
WA: Crocodiles discovered in drug raid

PERTH, Aug 1 AAP - West Australian police searching a house for drugs found three saltwater
crocodiles being kept as pets in the loungeroom.

The juvenile crocodiles, between 30 and 50cm long, were being kept in a temperature-controlled
glass tank of water in the house at Bindoon, 80km north-east of Perth.

Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) special investigations officer
Rick Dawson said a 37-year-old man had been interviewed by wildlife officers and would
be charged with illegal possession of specially protected fauna, which carries a fine
of up to $10,000.

Mr Dawson said saltwater crocodiles were extremely dangerous and difficult to handle,
particularly when they reached a metre long, and could grow up to seven metres.

In the wild, an average five-metre crocodile weighed about 500kg and could easily consume
a small horse.

"They don't usually eat humans but their only instinct is to survive and if they get
hungry enough they will attack (humans)," he said.

He said CALM did not issue licences to allow crocodiles to be kept as pets.

The man had admitted to capturing the crocodiles two months ago while on a fishing
trip near Wyndham in the east Kimberley.

CALM chief wildlife officer David Mell said the animals probably could not be released
back into the wild because of the danger they had been exposed to disease while captured.

He said they would likely be transferred to a wildlife park or zoo.

Last week it was revealed police had discovered three pythons, one of them a rare Olive
python, during a drug bust on a Perth house.

However, Mr Mell said he believed the cases were isolated and did not indicate an increasing
interest in keeping exotic pets.

AAP alm/bdm/br

KEYWORD: CROCODILE

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