EGGCITING NEWS AT BILLABONG
A WILDLIFE park is expecting a crocodile baby boom.
Rangers at Billabong Sanctuary have raided the nests of two female crocodiles and are now waiting for more than 100 eggs to hatch in the incubator.
Owner Bob Fleming said it took 90 days for crocodile eggs to hatch, with rangers keeping an eye on the incubator temperature each day.
“Bonza’s eggs were laid before Christmas and she laid 55 eggs and Billabong Belle had about 65 eggs this year,” he said. But even though Bonza and Billabong Belle no longer have eggs, visitors will see them fiercely guarding their nests until the young arrive.
“Their maternal instincts are very strong at the moment,” Mr Fleming said.
“Even though the eggs aren’t there, they still guard that bare earth.
“When these three months are up, they walk away.”
When the eggs hatch, some crocodiles will stay at Billabong Sanctuary, while some will go to other wildlife parks.
“The remaining ones will go to the Koorana Crocodile Farm down at Yeppoon,” Mr Fleming said. A TEENAGER who threatened to stab her sister and chased her with a knife at Dean Park has been sentenced to probation.
Only eight days after the attack, the 19- year- old woman got into a physical fight with another relative at the same park.
The girl, who cannot be named to protect the victim, pleaded guilty in Townsville Magistrates Court yesterday to breaching a domestic violence order ( DVO), public nuisance and failing to appear in court. Prosecutor Tim Wise said the DVO breach occurred on November 16, when the woman was drinking with her sister.
“The defendant and the aggrieved had a verbal argument because ( the victim) refused to provide ( the woman) with more of her alcohol,” he said.
Acting Magistrate Richard Lehrmann sentenced the girl to nine months on probation and did not record a conviction.