Cassius, a saltwater crocodile, managed to thrill his audience as he was given balloons, a happy birthday sign and a birthday cake made from chicken from the three generations of the Craig family that have looked after him.
It is unusual for a crocodile to survive more than 90 years in the wild and his old age has been put down to the relaxation he gets in captivity.. More usually, crocs tend to end up getting eaten by another crocodile.
Jemma Craig, the youngest of the Craig family, says, “Because he’s been in captivity and sheltered for the past 30 years, he has lived a lot longer.”
Reaching 112 isn’t his only significant milestone. At a whopping 5.48 metres and 1300kg Cassius is recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest crocodile in captivity.
With the lifestyle that Cassius has become accustomed to there’s every chance that he may live long enough to be cared for by the fourth generation of the Craig family.
