Alice Springs Reptile Centre facts for kids
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| Date opened | January 2000 |
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| Location | Alice Springs, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Coordinates | 23°42′S 133°52′E / 23.7°S 133.87°E |
The Alice Springs Reptile Centre is a special place in Alice Springs, Australia. It's in the Northern Territory and is home to the biggest collection of reptiles there. This centre is privately run and also teaches people about the environment.
You can see many amazing animals here. These include the perentie, which is a huge lizard, and frill-necked lizards. There are also thorny devils, big and small pythons, and even venomous snakes. Some of the venomous snakes are inland taipans, brown snakes, death adders, and king brown snakes. It's a fun place for families and especially popular with kids.
The centre focuses on reptiles that are native to Australia. Many of these animals are rescued from local areas. Sometimes they are found on properties or in places about to be burned to prevent bushfires. Most of these rescued reptiles are later released back into safe, wild areas. The Alice Springs Reptile Centre also helps people by removing venomous snakes from their homes. This keeps both people and snakes safe.
History of the Centre
The Alice Springs Reptile Centre was started by Rex Neindorf. He used to be a reptile handler. The centre first opened its doors in January 2000. It now has over 100 reptiles from 60 different kinds of species.
Reptiles from the centre have been featured in many famous shows and magazines. These include National Geographic Magazine and Wild Relations – Natural Born Cheats on ABC. They have also appeared in an American Visa TV ad and New Zealand's The Bounty Hunters. You might have also seen them on Steve Irwin's Great Escapes and Animal Emergency. Even famous directors have filmed nature documentaries here.
In 2002, the centre added a large exhibit for saltwater crocodiles. Later, in 2006, the centre expanded even more. This new part was funded by the Australian Tourism Development Program. It features fossils that show how reptiles have changed over 200 million years.
The centre is located next to Billy Goat Hill. This area is public land. Sadly, there have been times when reptiles at the centre were harmed. The centre has tried to get more security for the hill. This is because young people sometimes gather there.
Protecting the Animals
The Alice Springs Reptile Centre works hard to keep its animals safe. However, there have been a few sad incidents where animals were harmed.
Incidents in 2004 and 2008
In August 2004, a group of young people broke into the centre. They hurt a crocodile using a ladder and pool equipment. The crocodile survived, but it had cuts and broken teeth.
In October 2008, another incident happened. A young person broke into the centre when it was closed. This person was seen on security cameras. Sadly, 13 animals were killed during this event. These included a large Spencer's goanna, a turtle, bearded dragons, and thorny devils. Some animals were hurt with a rock. Others were thrown over a fence towards Terry, a very large saltwater crocodile.
This attack lasted about 30 minutes. The centre lost animals that are very hard to replace. These incidents show how important it is to protect these special creatures.
