December 2023
We’re ‘Croc’-ing around the Christmas Tree’ as a new freshwater crocodile display opens this week at Moonlit Sanctuary.
Our snappiest new family member is a female freshwater crocodile named Dee Dee, after Crocodile Dundee.
She will reside in an immersive enclosure that has both dry and wet areas which enables guests to see below the waterline and come eye-to-eye with Dee Dee as she glides through the water.
Freshwater crocodiles are a smaller crocodilian. The species can be quite shy and have a more slender snout and slightly smaller teeth than their larger counterpart the saltwater crocodile.
Unlike other species of crocodiles, who laze around due to their large weight, ‘freshies’ are more agile and have a high walk, where they lift their entire body off the ground to move over land. Freshwater crocodiles are a protected species and play an important role in balancing the ecosystem.
“The entire Moonlit team have put in an extensive amount of time and effort into her new enclosure design so we couldn’t have wished for a better Christmas present”, said Blaire Bunter, Assistant Life Sciences Manager.
Dee Dee is estimated to be approximately 6 years of age and is described as a very inquisitive crocodile by her keepers. She’s only a small crocodile but we expect her to grow as she becomes accustomed to her new domain.
Make sure to say hello to Dee Dee when you next visit, and to give a smile to our new crocodile!
