One of the crocodiles inside the litter-filled concrete cage it spent 25 years in. Photo: supplied
After a quarter of a century living in a caged concrete pit, two salt water crocodiles in the Solomon Islands have been moved to a sanctuary thanks to a New Zealand animal charity.
The crocodiles had been surviving on rain water in the litter-filled enclosure at the back of a cafe in Honiara.
New Zealand based animal rescue, HUHA, became aware of the animals when it was in the capital for a dog desexing campaign.
After months of wrangling, raising money and working with Australia Zoo the crocodiles have been rehomed at a local private sanctuary.
HUHA founder and chief executive Carolyn Press-McKenzie told Checkpoint when she heard about the crocodiles from locals, it was the last thing she expected.
"When you hear that something's off, you need to go have a look. So we went and had a look after surgery one day and they were there... it was awful. I can't even describe.
"They were just in these little prisons of rubbish and concrete."
Press-McKenzie said she decided they had to do something about the crocodiles, and hunted down their owner.
"I think we got the guy at the right point because we know other people, including Australia Zoo, had been there over the years, seen them but not been in a position to get them and move them."
The owner agreed to sell the animals to HUHA, who then owned them for about 10 months.
"Over that 10 months, we didn't sleep much and we fundraised"
One of the crocodiles being relocated. Photo: supplied
While the fundraising didn't gather the full amount of funds they needed to re-home the crocodiles, Press-McKenzie said there were some "amazing" donors, with one woman donating $10,000.
However, she believed the lack of support was due to New Zealander's disconnect with the scaly creatures.
"Our thing is every animal matters and we don't discriminate. So basically for us, it didn't really matter that we weren't into crocodiles. Those crocodiles were in trouble and no one else was stepping up."
HUHA then contacted Australia Zoo, and asked them to step in to help relocate the crocodiles.
"I didn't see how we could actually relocate them safely unless we were with people who knew what they were doing."
The zoo jumped into the mission, and were "blown away" by what HUHA had managed to achieve.
Carolyn Press-McKenzie handing ownership of the crocodiles over to the new owner. Photo: supplied
After managing to construct a private sanctuary, the crocodiles are now being relocated, their new owner well aware of the responsibility.
"We signed the crocs to him two days ago and [the contract] says he can't breed them, eat them, use them as an exhibit, or on sell them and that if he has any problems, he has to talk to us."
The new enclosure has a metre-and-a-half deep the pool for the animals to swim in, something they have never done before.
"They can actually go right in and swim and rest at the bottom. So they've never walked and they've never swam before. So this is all new for them."
After being kept in separate pits for 25 years, the two crocodiles have now had the opportunity to meet and settle into their new home together.
"It's just it's really nice, they're safe."
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