November 14, 2005
By Tammy O'Reilly
THE metre-long youngster lies sunning itself on a rock. Slowly, it stretches its stumpy back leg and tucks it back under its belly. Then it's back to resting. This is life in Crocodile Country.
The first 31 of 50 Nile crocodiles have arrived at the Johannesburg Zoo to take up residence in a newly created enclosure, Crocodile Country.
Only one young croc has ventured out of the water so far, but from time to time a snout and a pair of chilling eyes appears on the surface.
"They're a bit shy, but as soon as they have adapted to their new habitat, they will be lazing around just like that one," says the zoo's vet and animal collector, Dr Stephen van der Spuy, nodding in the direction of the lone crocodile.
Crocodile Country is a tranquil setting, near the lion enclosure. Tall trees cast a shadow over a part of the water and will go a long way in cooling the water when temperatures rise. Huge rocks have been carefully positioned on the banks as well as in the water, and lush grass and sandy spots line the banks.
The zoo has thought of everything to ensure the survival of the crocodiles and has included a hot house in the design of Crocodile Country.
Catching some sun
"Because crocodiles cannot regulate their body temperature like us humans, we have created a hot house for them to go into when the temperature gets colder," explains Wouter du Plooy, project manager of Crocodile Country. "Their natural habitat is in warmer climates and Johannesburg gets much colder than they are used to."
The temperature and wind speed can be controlled in the hot house, to ensure conditions are suitable for the crocodiles.
The hot house will also be home to 20 baby crocodiles. The hatchlings are between 25-35cm in length. They will be kept for a year before being sent back to the crocodile-breeding farm in Hartebeespoort Dam, where they were born. The group will then be replaced by a new batch of hatchlings.
The 40 males and 10 females that will inhabit Crocodile Country are all currently between two and three years old, and average 1,5 metres. The ratio of male to female crocodiles is optimal for breeding.
These reptiles can grow up to eight metres in length, and will only be ready for breeding when they are about 10 years old.
While the enclosure may look quite small for 50 eight metre long reptiles, Van der Spuy says crocodiles don't need much space. "Crocodile's are generally lazy animals so they don't need heaps of space."
Crocodile Country, he says, will be perfect. "We studied the lifestyle and habits of crocodiles very carefully before bringing them here, so while this enclosure may look small for 50 crocodiles, it is actually ideal."
They will be fed, once a week, a diet of chicken and meat laced with the vitamins and nutrients they need. The public can view the feeding of the crocodiles every Sunday at 1pm
"The zoo staff worked very hard for the past three months to get this project rolling," said Van der Spuy. "Credit must go to them for their excellent team work and for performing so well under some challenging conditions."
The zoo is embarking on a five-year plan that will see, among other features, the creation of five zones focusing on different types of animals and environments. Crocodile Country is just one aspect of the Southern Safari zone, home to animals that are predominately found in southern Africa.
There's also an educational aspect to Crocodile Country. Until the end of December, hour-long puppet shows and educational talks will be take place at the Croc Info Centre.
"We have loads of stuff here to keep the kids entertained and informed," says the zoo's educationist, Teresa Slacke. "There is a puppet show the kids already love and we have an educational video as well as brochures." Children can also see and feel lion skulls and the hide of some animals.
The nearby Croc Spaza also sells crocodile merchandise, from toy crocs to crocodile mugs. The shop is open from 9.30am to 3pm.
The Johannesburg Zoo is situated on Jan Smuts Avenue in Parkview and is open to the public daily from 8.30am to 5.30pm. The entry fee is R32 for adults, and R19 for children and pensioners. For more information contact the zoo on 011 646 2000.
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