Anyone watching 'Croc College'?

[Sami-Lochy]

Wow are you actually being serious? They are on a crocodile FARM, what did you think happens to all the crocs that they breed? That is a nessacery part of crocodile farming and conservation. What would you rather, people going out and shooting every croc that they see for the meat and skin trade or the SUSTAINABLE farming of these awesome creatures. Now these are my favourite animals and I hate to see it but it has to happen. Honestly I would love to do their job, it would be hard for me to kill one but it has to happen.
Cheers Cameron

So you're telling me that it's necessary to kill crocodiles and sell there skin and meat to Asians so they can eat crocodile and have crocodile handbags and stuff, all for profit. I guess you guys are that bereft in society that you believe this is necessary, it's all about money and profit for life. Don't tell me that we need to eat crocodile meat when we have all these other livestock that we already eat. We're exploiting enough animals as it is, and how is this show good when its all about killing wildlife for money?...

 

[baker]

So you're telling me that it's necessary to kill crocodiles and sell there skin and meat to Asians so they can eat crocodile and have crocodile handbags and stuff, all for profit. I guess you guys are that bereft in society that you believe this is necessary, it's all about money and profit for life. Don't tell me that we need to eat crocodile meat when we have all these other livestock that we already eat. We're exploiting enough animals as it is, and how is this show good when its all about killing wildlife for money?...

Yes I do consider then a necessary thing to have happen. Why? Because there is a large industry based around creating fashion products from crocodile leather in Europe. There will also be a market for crocodile meat in Asia. Now what do you think both of these will do if there was no constant supply from crocodile farms or no supply at all? They are not going to stop doing what they do, instead they are going to go after the wild populations. Now that is what I am against, having crocodiles end up in the same situation that several fish species are in from over exploitation of wild stocks. Farms are a very important because they have removed all the pressures that crocodiles where facing from hunting ensuring that they do not become extinct. They have also opened up jobs for people and helping with the economy. Also do not forget about the benefits farms have had in expanding our knowledge about crocodiles. Without having crocodiles in farms where they can be easily study and observed we have learnt mount loads about these animals biology and ecology in the last 40 years. We went from knowing nothing to knowing almost everything. This information that we have now is massively important as it now lets us manage the wild populations of crocodiles extremely well.
To be honest I think it would be much better if more native animals are farmed instead of introduced livestock. Native animals are not going to do anywhere near the damage that livestock do to the land each and every single year. Be better for the environment as well.
Now a quick thing about me so you can see I am not as you say "that bereft in society that believes this is necessary". I am currently studying at the University of Queensland where I am completing a Bachelor of Science with a dual major in zoology and ecology. After I graduate I am hoping to work in some field with either elapids or crocodiles.
Cheers Cameron

 

[Sami-Lochy]

I suppose you have a point there about illegal hunting, still don't know if I agree with this, it's been there land much longer then ours, they've come a long way and I think they deserve to frolick free in nature aposed to being scrutinised under the knife by scientists ect. No offence but I'm not a fan of science it's done wonders for us but some people try to hard to find answers ect and end up doing the wrong thing. I would never tear skin off a crocodile, ide prefer to just be around the animal and get to know IT rather then know it biologically. I can tell you know what your talking about but your still talking about this animal like it needs to be ridded of without ex tinting it. This is us as a human race evolving trying to understand everything and turn it rational. Which is sometimes a truly sick thing to do if you can look a crocodile right in the eyes and say soon enough you'll be a handbag in France or on display with your head chopped off in an Asian supermarket, weather or not you chose to be ignorant about the animals life situation I don't know but I bet that croc isn't expecting this after being treated so well by us and cared for, do you really think it would ever like that? We as a human race step on things kindly all the time. I'm not saying its going to stop by I'm on this website because I love reptiles and this seems like a little bit of exploitation if you stare at the big picture long enough.

 

[Tiliqua]

No offence but I'm not a fan of science/QUOTE]
Sigh

ide prefer to just be around the animal and get to know IT rather then know it biologically/QUOTE]
I'm sure it would love to get to know you better over a skinny latte

I know your not a fan of science, but it was due to studies incorporating crocodile farms that we have been able to discover how the antibodies in their blood works. What scientists like Adam Britton found, was the croc immune system was a powerful killer against the human HIV virus, more work may produce a cure for HIV!

I understand you are against croc farming, and many Australians are, but I was shown first hand the benefits towards conservation- as Cameron has pointed out.

I think they deserve to frolick free in nature aposed to being scrutinised under the knife by scientists/QUOTE]
uhuh....
They are protected in the wild, and crocs are now being recorded in areas they have never been recorded since white fella's have inhabited this country. Croc farming is having no impact on wild populations, it is a sustainable practice.

More food for thought, if it wasn't for farming techniques we have perfected with American Alligators years ago, we would not have been able to save the critically endangered Chinese Alligator (population was down to 140 individuals, croc farming raised numbers to 2,000 captive individuals, majority released back into the wild)

 

[jdwango]

Episode 05 on tonight, Catching a big male croc and 2 students are chosen for the Kakadu research!

 

[Tiliqua]

Final episode is on tonight, 8pm, ABC1

 

[da_donkey]

john Lever is a good friend of mine and some of the crocs you may see on this show may well have been bred by me here in WA.
Crocs are my favorite animal and i have also killed more crocs than any other animal (and i dont kill anything, even spiders lol)
crocodile Farming saved the wild population of crocs in AUS the key word here is SUSTAINABLE farming.

Anyway im glad most of you are enjoying the show

Donk

 

[Sami-Lochy]

Nice, looking forward to the episode tonight. Sorry if I sounded hateful about the show. I just see so much pain and suffering in the world and I hate seeing more animals being killed and what not. I see the benefits now and I agree the show is great to watch. Why is there only 6 episodes
we need more shows on reptiles, very fascinating creatures.