By Esther Lauaki
Vicki Lowings has lived with crocodiles for more than 30 years – but she’s in danger of losing the reptiles she loves.
The wildlife educator moved, with three reptiles, from New South Wales to a suburban Rockbank home about a decade ago.
Ms Lowings risks losing her beloved pets after Victoria’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) refused to renew her Wildlife Demonstrator Licence earlier this year, citing concerns about the quality of the animals’ enclosures.
Ms Lowings is dedicated to caring for two freshwater crocs that live indoors – Johnie, a 22-year-old female, and 11-year-old male Fovian.
A 13-year-old, 2.6-metre saltwater crocodile, named Jilfia, that had been living in a bungalow at the back of her house, was re-homed to the Northern Territory last week.
Ms Lowings is fighting to keep her two freshwater crocs, and will challenge the department at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal in May.
“I don’t know why this is happening, why they are targeting me,” she said.
“DELWP officers said that there was a safety risk, but the saltwater croc was completely locked up in an enclosure and the freshies are not a danger to humans … the room is locked and I do now have a fenced area for them.”
Ms Lowings’ main concern is how the crocs will fare without her – and she without them.
“Crocodiles can die from stress very easily … and the last thing I want to do is stress them out,” she said. “These crocodiles, they’re my family.”
