Community
17 October, 2023
Goliath the croc farewells the ZOOM dome
Four-meter giant and star of the inner-city zoo Cairns ZOOM & Wildlife Dome, Goliath the croc, has been craned out of his enclosure this morning and it’s now on its way to Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas.
Goliath is one of the last animals to be relocated after the cease of operations of the zoo operated by CaPTA Group on October 8, the remaining freshwater crocodiles will also be relocated today.
At approximately 10.30am this morning, Century Cranes operators craned Goliath out of the dome in a cage and onto a truck where ZOOM employees prepared Goliath for its journey to Port Douglas’ Wildlife Habitat where he will be one of the main attractions at the croc arena.
The estuarine crocodile arrived at the ZOOM & Wildlife Dome, operated by the CapTa Group, in 2003 as the first animal to call the Reef Hotel Casino wildlife park his home and it was a hit with locals and tourists alike over his 20 years of service.
“Goliath our 4.3 metre estuarine crocodile that we have at the ZOOM & Wildlife Dome, which has been his home for just over 20 years, departed just the same way he arrived 20 years ago via a crane,” said Ben Woodward, director of sales and marketing at CaPTA Group.
“He needed to be captured and put into his box to be moved over, so the process this morning involved 15 staff moving the box onto an area where he was loaded onto a crane and then lowered to be transported to his new home.
“It was quite an emotional moment for me and the team at the Cairns ZOOM & Wildlife Dome waving goodbye as he sets off to his new home at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas.”
Mr Woodward said 90 per cent of the animals have been moved since the park’s closure.
“After Goliath, the freshwater crocodiles are being relocated today, and koalas are going to be moving in the coming days,” he said.
Upon his arrival to Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas, Goliath will be joining the saltwater crocodiles in the croc arena.
“He will make his new home in the croc arena that’s where we have our ‘Swim with the salties’ experience, so for Cairns visitors who have ziplined over Goliath for many years, they’ll now be able to swim with him and look at him over the 8cms glass,” Mr Woodward said.
