S3 Ep 4 - Smile Like a Crocodile Farmer

Not all farm animals are soft like woolly sheep or docile like grazing cows. Some in fact, would eat you, if given the chance. Crocodile farming is not for the faint-hearted and today we're catching up with the family who established Queensland's first commercial crocodile farm in 1981. Croc leather, meat and tours are growing in popularity. But this niche enterprise certainly has its challenges from feeding 3000 reptiles to housing them. To learn more about the croc business, Lauren Lever of Koorana Crocodile Farm joins me now to discuss:   Lauren's favourite place on the crocodile farm.  Koorana Crocodile Farm provides educational tours, which is where Lauren's passion lies.  As a farm, they also produce the increasingly popular crocodile meat, as a light white meat and leather.  Lauren shares some common crocodile behaviours and her tips if you were to encounter a crocodile out in the wild. She shares the diet of a crocodile and why she considers the farm a 'meat recycling plant.' How farming crocodiles assists with conservation of the wild population. They are surprisingly picky eaters and extremely territorial and how they manage this on the farm.  How the different seasons of weather impact the temperament of the crocodiles.  Koorana Crocodile Farm is one of the last Australian owned crocodile farms in this country and some of the challenges of running a crocodile farm.  Some of the crocs, like Buka and Rocky, have become family to Lauren. Some crocodiles can live 100 years and the impact these animals have had on the local community as well as the emotional attachments formed over time.  The Australian Crocodile meat and leather industry.  The seasonal work from nesting, hatching, grading and breeding.  Lauren's favourite thing about crocodile farming and, learning to read the animals' behaviours.  Lauren shares some unexpected moments on the farm.  The biggest misconceptions around crocodile farming.  Lauren's ultimate dream for the future.   We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.     Links: Angie Asimus Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram Partnered with Australian Farmers  Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram    Koorana Crocodile Farm   Produced by Pretty Podcasts