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NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
In the Territory, crocs are both an ever-lurking danger and a part of the region's identity
All three are proud, unapologetic owners of pet crocodiles in Australia's Northern Territory. Marrakai Sullivan, 23, Sullivan's daughter, grew up with pet crocodiles and got her first as an adult last year. She picked out Flint and Donk from the hatchlings born to her father's crocodiles. Only Flint survived past his first birthday. Living with and raising crocodiles requires an appreciation of their power and their place in the ecosystem, she said. 'It's a great part of being a Territorian,' she said. 'Where else are you gonna get that?' Flint, Marrakai Sullivan's pet crocodile, at her home in Darwin River, Northern Territory, Australia. Photo / Matthew Abbott, the New York Times Trevor Sullivan has 13 of the creatures on his sprawling property. Matthews has four freshwater crocodiles named Gloopy, Jazzy, Destin, and Cyclops, who is missing an eye from a fight. Horne cohabitates with Zeus, a saltwater native, who he says has tried to kill him twice. But when undisturbed, 'they are the most relaxed pet, they do what reptiles do – not too much', said Nigel Palmer, who has had Rocko, 21, since he was a hatchling. Hatchlings, which go for about US$300 to US$400 ($502 to $669) apiece, feed on pinky-fingernail-sized bits of meat. They require delicate care in the early stages, when they are sensitive to small temperature changes. As adults, crocodiles take little effort. They eat once every couple of weeks during the wet season and can go months without food in the dry. 'They're easy. You don't walk 'em, you don't wash 'em. They're just there,' said Gaynor King, Matthews' partner. Marrakai Sullivan grew up with pet crocodiles and got her first as an adult last year. Photo / Matthew Abbott, the New York Times Pet crocodiles are also allowed in Victoria state. In the Territory, they are an ever-lurking danger, a major tourist draw, and a part of the region's identity. They embody the mix of tolerance for risk, healthy scorn for authority, and propensity for solitude that residents relish. 'With Territorians, it's not that they want one, but they believe they should be able to have one,' said Emily Moyes, the general manager at Crocodylus Park, a popular zoo and research centre in Darwin, the regional capital. Tourists are greeted with ads for crocodile experiences of all kinds as soon as they arrive at the Darwin Airport. Visitors can dive among crocodiles, cruise down a river in their midst and watch them leap several feet out of the water. Or gaze into their eyes while having a pint – whether it's a real live one, or one made of concrete. 'Every pub here has a crocodile. It's bloody iconic,' Moyes said. Trevor Sullivan heads out to feed some of the 13 pet crocodiles on his sprawling property. Pet crocodiles are also allowed in Victoria state. But in the Territory, they are an ever-lurking danger. Photo / Matthew Abbott, the New York Times In April 2024, the Northern Territory Government announced that it would stop issuing licences for pet crocodiles, setting off an uproar. The opposition campaigned partly on overturning the ban – and won. 'Crocodiles are synonymous with the Territory,' the Liberal Party said in a statement in December, reinstating the provision. Since then, the local wildlife commission has received six applications for permits, which require that pet crocodiles be kept in enclosures that meet strict specifications. A total of 70 people currently hold licences. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Written by: Victoria Kim Photographs by: Matthew Abbott ©2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES
Pink Villa
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
When Shikhar Dhawan's secret romance in hotel room he shared with Rohit Sharma kept him awake: ‘She was very...'
In his recently released autobiography The One: Cricket, My Life and More, Shikhar Dhawan pulls the curtain back on a lesser-known chapter from his early cricketing days. From what he shares, his 2006 India A tour to Australia saw him begin a romance in secret, one that quickly drew the ire of his roommate, Rohit Sharma. At the time, both players were still vying for spots in the national team. A secret affair begins in Darwin Dhawan states that their story began at Darwin Airport, where he spotted the striking brunette with sharp features in the immigration queue. He refers to the woman as Ellen throughout the autobiography, though this is not her real name. After a brief exchange of smiles, the two introduced themselves, swapped contact information, and started meeting frequently. No doubt about it, they were completely in sync right off the bat. 'She was very beautiful, and suddenly I was in love again,' Dhawan wrote. Convinced she was 'the one,' he began inviting her to post-match parties, and soon, he started 'smuggling her' into his hotel room—the same room he was sharing with Rohit Sharma. The distraction came at a cost. Though Dhawan began the tour well, including a half-century in a practice match, his focus shifted as his off-field romance deepened. 'After every game, I would go over to meet up with Ellen,' he admitted, adding that Rohit, increasingly annoyed, would mutter, 'Will you let me sleep?' in frustration. Caught in the act and off the selector's radar The explosive romance did not stay hidden for long. Dhawan and his girlfriend were spotted walking hand-in-hand through the hotel lobby one evening by a senior national selector. 'It didn't even occur to me that I should let go of her hand, because to me, we were committing no crime,' he wrote. The news spread quickly among teammates, raising eyebrows about his professionalism. Dhawan acknowledged that had he maintained form throughout the tour, he might have 'made it to the senior Indian side.' Instead, his performances dipped, and the opportunity slipped. Though the relationship did not last, Dhawan went on to create an incredibly formidable international career. He's played 34 Tests for India, with 68 T20 Internationals, and 167 One Day Internationals under his belt.
Daily Mirror
29-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man could face 95 years in prison as cops make horror discovery on his phone
A 68-year-old man was charged with multiple offences after police made a shocking discovery during a random bag search at an Australian airport after he returned from abroad A man could face 95 years behind bars after police allegedly made a horrific discovery on his phone during a random bag check. A 68-year-old man has been charged with child sexual abuse crimes after cops reportedly found child abuse materials, which included sexually explicit photos, videos and even disgusting video calls to facilitators - making them livestream the sexual abuse of young children. The suspect was randomly stopped and checked when he returned to Darwin Airport, in Australia. This discovery prompted police to issue a search warrant for several locations the man had been known to live at. He had allegedly instructed people in the Philippines to sexually abuse children, some as young as six, while he watched online. The Australian man had returned to the country on New Year's Day and he was captured by cops on January 3 in their operation. He was pictured being arrested in a carpark by cops. The man was charged with five serious offences after cops uncovered an alleged online abuse case. These included two counts of sexual intercourse with a child outside Australia, two counts of sexual activity with a child outside Australia, and one count of possessing child abuse material. If the 68-year-old is found guilty of all five of these charges, he could face up to 95 years in prison. Two suspects were also arrested in the Philippines, and six children were moved from abusive environments, after Australian investigators shared information with cops in Manila. The Australian suspect appeared in court on January 7 and was remanded in custody until a second hearing on May 27. The suspect did not show up in court but he was represented by a lawyer. His case was adjourned until June 24 to give the prosecution time to gather "outstanding material". Australian Border Force Superintendent Greg Davis said protecting children was one of the agencies top priorities. He said: "All victims of child sexual exploitation experience lifelong harm because of the selfish actions of their abusers. "The AFP will continue to work closely with local, Commonwealth and international partners to protect children from sickening abuse and together identify offenders and bring them before the courts." ABF Commander Tracie Griffin said the border officers at Darwin Airport were key to protecting children in this case. Griffin said: "I want to commend the work of the ABF officers involved in the alleged discovery of child abuse material on this man's phone. Six children are safe because of their diligence and the work of our domestic and international law enforcement partners." Philippines National Police Brigadier General Portia Manalad praised the cooperation between the agencies. She said: "The PNP Women and Children Protection Centre will continue to locate alleged offenders and rescue victims with the assistance of our foreign partners."
