PRESS OF ATLANTIC CITY (Pleasantville, New Jersey) 16 August 08 Keep your toes away from this croc (Michael Miller)
Cape May Court House: Joey Davis liked the turtles and the snakes just fine, but made a beeline to the glass window Friday when he saw the crocodile.
The Cape May County Park & Zoo has a rare Asian crocodile - its first ever - on display through October.
The tomistoma (pronounced tah-MIST-o-ma) is one of the toothiest animals you'll ever see. The fish-eating croc has a narrow snout filled with pointy teeth. It is on temporary loan from a private exhibitor in Florida, where it will return this fall.
American zoos are trying to breed these rare reptiles to save the species, found in freshwater rivers and lakes in Malaysia and Indonesia.
But children such as 9-year-old Joey just think they're cool. The 4-foot croc became his new favorite animal at the zoo Friday.
"They're big and they have sharp teeth. When they open their mouths, they make this loud noise," he said.
His parents, Kevin and Susan Davis of Paulsboro, said Joey is a big fan of the late naturalist Steve Irwin and the TV show "The Crocodile Hunter." He never missed an episode.
Zookeeper Katie Quigley said the crocodile, a female named Pip, eats live goldfish. It is less aggressive than other crocodile species, but that does not make it less dangerous. Keepers are careful around it, she said.
The tomistoma looks prehistoric, with heavily plated bronze and olive scutes, or scales.
Pip is an orthodontist's nightmare, with 80 sharp teeth that overlap to ensure that no prey can escape. Quigley said the crocodiles lose and replace about 300 teeth in a lifetime.
"Her snout is so thin we have to make sure that she can't get it wedged anywhere and snap off," Quigley said.
The zoo posted information at the exhibit on the Tomistoma Task Force, an international research group founded in 2003 to protect the crocodile's habitat.
According to the task force, no more than a dozen zoos around the United States have these crocodiles. The tomistoma can grow to more than 16 feet.
The zoo is moving the croc in October to make room for its three resident alligators, which are spending the summer in the outdoor ponds. But the croc is already a big hit.
"It's our first, so that's why it's such a big deal for us," she said.
Keep your toes away from this croc