Arabic version: توجيه اتهامات لمراهقين بعد هجوم مزعوم على تمساح في حديقة حيوان بيرث

According to ABC News, two teenagers are before Perth Children’s Court after allegedly entering a Perth Zoo crocodile enclosure and striking Dangalabba, a 400-kilogram, four-metre crocodile, with a metal pole. The boys, aged 16 and 17, have been charged with criminal damage, trespass and animal cruelty.

Police said the teenagers entered the South Perth zoo about 7:15pm on Sunday, cut locks to the enclosure and banged on the cage wall. The crocodile was allegedly agitated and lunged towards them. The court heard one boy allegedly hit the animal with a metal pole while the other held a torch.

Zoo staff noticed damaged security cameras on Monday morning and reported the matter to police. Officers later found the teenagers at separate addresses in Baldivis and Belmont and took them into custody. Outside court, one of the teenagers said they “never meant to hurt” the animal.

Luke Campbell, who worked with Dangalabba at Broome’s Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park, described the 45-year-old reptile as highly unpredictable. He said the crocodile, which was removed from Darwin Harbour over safety concerns before later moving to Perth Zoo in 2019, could not be tamed despite time in captivity.

Police Commissioner Col Blanch said the alleged incident was serious and said the boys were lucky not to be in the morgue. Perth Zoo said Dangalabba sustained minor injuries and was being monitored by its veterinary team. The crocodile was seen behaving normally on Wednesday, outside its pool in the sunshine.