The Bachelorette: Reptile Encounters owner Josh Cox dates Angie Kent
Walking down the red carpet with a crocodile is certainly one way to make a first impression. But will it be enough for Box Hill’s Josh Cox — the owner of a mobile zoo — to win new Bachelorette Angie Kent’s heart?
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Bachelors braving the red carpet are normally most nervous to meet their suitor, but this contestant had more to worry about — walking an unrestrained crocodile up to Angie Kent.
Box Hill’s Josh Cox, the owner of hundreds of native animals — including eight crocodiles — is set to grace television screens from October 9 for the new season of reality show The Bachelorette.
The 37-year-old Box Hill born-and-bred man runs Burwood mobile zoo Reptile Encounters, and is on a mission to educate children about nature and environmental issues.
In a small zoo hidden in an industrial patch of Burwood, he keeps more than 400 reptiles, marsupials, birds and marine life, which his business takes to schools across Victoria to get children’s focus away from technology and onto nature.
“If people aren’t connected to the environment they’re not going to be motivated to make a change,” he said.
Being on the film set of The Bachelorette was a little different to his usual day building new enclosures for snakes and sugar gliders.
“It was pretty intense,” he said.
“There’s probably not many situations where you’re going to be under more intense pressure than walking down that red carpet.
“That was more stressful than earlier in the year when I presented to two and a half thousand people.”
Naturally, he decided to show off his personality by walking a saltwater crocodile down the red carpet to meet bachelorette Angie Kent.
“That was pretty cool,” he said.
“I think she was a bit blown away.”
But while Mr Cox is used to being around crocodiles, he was nervous about how his deadly prop would react to the unusual setting, especially seeing as he had requested the croc not have its mouth taped.
“Anything can happen,” he said.
The entrepreneur went on the show looking to find his match — “someone who thinks outside the box”, is passionate about the environment, and who shares his love of sport and fitness.
“I like someone that’s confident and intelligent,” he said.
But he said it was far from his idea to vie for love on national television.
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The St Kevin’s College graduate said he hadn’t really followed previous The Bachelor and The Bachelorette series, and was approached to go on the show.
“I thought, ‘Why not?’
“I guess I sort of tread the path less trodden, do things a little bit differently.”
Mr Cox said he managed to stay out of any drama in the Bachelor mansion and became mates with a few of the other guys.
Back in his comfort zone, he and his workmates are getting ready to watch the show at the zoo when it goes to air on Channel 10 at 7.30pm on Wednesday, October 9.