If that headline seems absurd, well…you shouldn’t need a court ruling to know that children and giant reptiles don’t mix, but apparently that simple idea wasn’t clear to the operators of a petting zoo in Germany.
A court in Giessen, Hesse, has upheld the ruling of the Darmstadt Regional Council that visitors cannot touch, feed, swim or otherwise come in contact with the crocodiles and alligators at Crocodile Zoo unless they are over 18 and foolish enough to have signed off that they know it’s a really dangerous idea.
The zoo says it has the goal of bringing people closer to reptiles and showing them that such animals aren’t really monsters. Among the zoo’s now-banned event packages was a ‘jungle birthday party’ that allowed the birthday child and guests a photo op with a live alligator and a swim date with a crocodile.
The zoo owners, who were sanctioned previously over the death of an elephant, say they are currently conferring with lawyers. Is that like consulting sharks about crocodiles?
