Crocs and snakes seen near Wadebridge

CROCODILES and a 12ft python are among the creatures at a new reptile house which will be launched at the Cornwall Crealy Adventure Park near Wadebridge at Easter.

The animals will be housed in a new enclosure called Crocodile Corner.

HANDLE WITH CARE: Animal Realm manager Steve Masters, left, and supervisor Aarron Dingle hold Alisa, one of Crealy's spectacled caimans.
Animal Realm supervisor Aarron Dingle (left) and manager Steve Masters (right) hold Debbie, a 12ft-long blonde Burmese python.

The 3ft-long spectacled caiman crocodiles Alisa and Ronnie were donated by Scottish tropical rainforest attraction, Amazonia, after outgrowing their enclosure.

Aged between six and seven years, the two female crocs are fully grown and classed as dangerous wild animals, requiring a special licence to be kept.

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Animal realm manager of Cornwall's Crealy, Steve Masters, said: "The crocodiles were put in their enclosure at Amazonia as babies and stayed there as they got bigger. They couldn't actually stretch out.

"Now they have plenty of room and they're loving it. They're all over the pond and it's really good to see them swimming around.

"We have done a lot of research around each reptile and found out everything they need. We've tried to make the reptiles feel as though they are in the wild as much as possible."

Crocodiles Alisa and Ronnie are also joined by six-year-old Debbie, a 12ft-long blonde Burmese python.

Crocodile Corner's youngest residents, two West African dwarf crocodiles, are six months old and just seven inches long. These endangered crocodiles are commonly found in the African rainforest.

Simon Townsend, general manager of Cornwall's Crealy said: "Crocodile Corner has been converted from a previous attraction. A lot of hard work has gone into the building, which is around 2,000sq ft.

"There are 15 tanks, called vivariums, with 15 different species and around 100 creatures in total."

Other reptiles inhabiting the new house include a common boa constrictor snake, milk snakes, poison dart frogs, lizards, a tarantula, sun beetles and giant land snails.

The reptile house will be ready for the Easter period.