Crocodylus Park forced to close amid coronavirus pandemic

CROCODYLUS Park has been forced to close indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic

Crocodylus Park has been forced to close indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic. Picture: Che Chorley

CROCODYLUS Park has been forced to close indefinitely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The animal park in Berrimah will close for the first time in its 26 years of running, with the jobs of its 30 staff in jeopardy.

The park’s owner Professor Grahame Webb said it was a very difficult decision to close.

“I made the decision yesterday, we’re still figuring everything out with jobs,” he said.

“Everyone’s together, everyone understands the situation.

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“Some people will have to go and access benefits. Other people, we will stage it somehow so that we can shift people around.”

Mr Webb said the decision became necessary out of fear that remaining open would result in the virus being spread.

“It would have been irresponsible to keep it going because this is a potentially really serious problem,” he said.

“I personally wouldn’t like to be, and none of the staff would like, to be responsible for spreading coronavirus.

Just because it takes just one person to come in who has it.”

He said tourism has been on the steady decline for a number of years, and that the COVID-19 pandemic was the last straw.

“Tourism has been in decline since 2008 …(it’s) down at rock bottom anyway.

“Now’s the time – March, April, when it’s set to build up and obviously it won’t.

“The prognosis is really bad.

“Now we’ve all got to bind together and think of other people.”

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However, he said the animals – which include salt and freshwater crocodiles, lions, tigers and monkeys – will continue to be cared for in their home in the park.

“They’ll keep getting the same royal treatment,” Mr Webb said.