SAHARA SAMAY (India) 10 January 07 Crocodile Park in Irwin's memory
Neyyar (Kerala): The first crocodile park in the World dedicated to the memory of Australian wildlife enthusiast Steve Irwin, who died in a stingray attack last year, is fast coming at the Neyyar Dam in Thiruvananthapuram district.
Spread over one hectare of land, the park will have an initial population of 45 'mugger' crocodile and a rare estuarine variety, which was spotted and rescued from a beach near Varkala last year, according to a Wildlife official.
Interacting with scribes, A Shanawas, Assistant Wildlife Warden, said: "Since the park has been conceived as a memorial to Steve Irwin, the entrance will have a concrete plaque featuring the Australian conservationist holding a crocodile in his hand."
The Steve Irwin Park would also have an open enclosure for the inhabitants to live in natural conditions.
Based on the design provided by the Zoo Authority of India, the park would have visitors' gallery, garden and gravelled pathway.
According to Shanawas, mugger is the commonly found variety of crocodile in Kerala which lives and breeds in marshy land.
Crocodile Park in Irwin's memory