The director of an Australian zoo said on Friday he is "horrified" after a seven-year-old boy broke into the zoo, fed an assortment of animals to a crocodile and clubbed various lizards to death with a rock.
The boy's attacks happened early Wednesday and were captured on a zoo security camera, said Rex Neindorf, director of the Alice Springs Reptile Centre in Australia's Northern Territory.
The boy, whose identity cannot be revealed, jumped the zoo's security fence before bludgeoning three lizards to death with a rock, including the zoo's much-loved 20-year-old goanna, which he then fed to "Terry," an 11-foot, 440-pound saltwater crocodile, said Neindorf.
The boy also threw several live animals into the crocodile's enclosure, and at one point tried to clamber over the fence surrounding the enclosure in an effort to get closer to the crocodile.
A total of 13 animals, including a turtle, bearded dragons and a thorny devil were killed as a result of the attacks, said Neindorf.
"We're horrified that anyone can do this and saddened by the age of the child," said Neindorf.
The animals, worth about $5,500, weren't rare but they will be hard to replace, he said.
Commenting on the surveillance footage at the scene, Neindorf said the boy's face appeared to be largely blank during his rampage.
"It was like he was playing a game."
The zoo's security system, which relies on sensors to detect intruders, probably didn't spot the boy because of his small size, said Neindorf.
No charges for boy, parents face lawsuit
Under Northern Territory law, no child under the age of 10 can be criminally charged, so Alice Springs police will not be pressing charges against the boy.
But Neindorf said he will sue the boy's parents.
"I just want people to learn that they can't let their children go and run amok," Neindorf said.
"If we can't put the blame onto the child, then someone has to accept the responsibility."
From: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/10/03/australia-zoo.html?ref=rss&loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r5:c0.114499:b21104889
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