FRONTIER
FROM behind the steel bars of her cage, an agitated 10year-old crocodile emits a low, guttural
growl.
The deep sound echoes through the tiny room but Stephen Cutter doesn’t hesitate as he approaches the enclosure.
The freshie is agitated, annoyed — the rumbling sound is a warning.
She’s telling him she doesn’t want a check-up, she wants to be left alone.
As the 1.5m croc flicks her tail in an attempt to intimidate him, the experienced Territory vet simply wraps his hands around her.
The creature itself is no stranger to Stephen — she lived in a cage at the Animal Ark Vet until she outgrew the small space.
He was the one who took the rescued creature in nearly 10 years ago and gave her a new home.
And while the freshie now lives in a much larger space, Stephen still gives her regular check-ups.
The familiarity doesn’t fool him. Stephen knew if her mouth wasn’t taped shut, the crocodile wouldn’t hesitate to sink her sharp teeth into his skin.
Still, he smiles at the beast and strokes her soft underbelly. Assures her it will be okay. Stephen is the head vet at The Ark, a clinic on the outskirts of Palmerston which he founded in 2006. It’s a busy practice, treat
ing every