Crocoloco Crocodile Farm is not an ordinary farm. They do not raise sheep or cows. Instead, they grow Nile crocodiles.
Note: for additional info about animals and wildlife, check out Zoos and Aquariums in Israel.
Table of Contents
Map
Crocoloco Crocodile Farm is located at Ir Ovot. Near the intersection of roads #90 and #227. And we visited it on our way to Eilat. But you can also combine it with a visit to the Dead Sea.
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Directions for public transport: Link to Moovit
Interactive map of the area:
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Opening Hours
Sunday – Saturday: 9:00-16:00
Opening hours were updated in December 2022. In any case, recheck the official site before visiting.
Entrance Fee
During our visit, the entrance fee was 40 NIS per person (both adults and children). And they accept only cash. So make sure you have enough in advance.
There are free parking spaces near the entrance to Crocoloco Crocodile Farm. After parking, we went to the gate, but it was closed. But since we visited during the Hannukah vacation, there were other people. After knocking, the owner unlocked the gate. He told us later that they keep the gate closed as a security measure.
Just as you enter, you will see a small souvenir shop serving as a ticket office.
Contact Information
You can contact Ofer Kubbi by mail at crocoloco@walla.co.il or by phone at 052-899-1088.
Tour at Crocoloco Crocodile Farm
After buying the tickets, we were told that another family had just arrived and the tour would start in ten minutes. So meanwhile, we wandered around. The territory of the farm is relatively small. There are two pools with crocodiles, a small building with baby crocodiles of different ages, and this baobab tree 🙂
Then our tour started. At Crocoloco Crocodile Farm, they grow Nile crocodiles. And this is the area of adult crocodiles.
Then we went to benches in a side area and received explanations about crocodiles. For example, did you know that crocodiles are very energy efficient? Yes, they are cold-blooded, but other factors also affect energy expenditure. Crocodiles need 10% of the calories of a human. And the form of their skin is optimized for heat capture.
Can you guess what she is holding?
These are crocodile excrements. As you can see, they digested everything. There is no waste, and this is pure calcium.
Then we all got a chance to pet a small crocodile.
Why Do They Grow Crocodiles?
Growing crocodiles is not apparent. But, as it turns out, other farms around the world raise crocodiles as well. The primary purpose of these farms is crocodile protection. As soon as farms grow crocodiles, hunting crocodiles in the wild loses economic incentive (hunting is more expensive than raising). This concept proved itself, and the number of hunted crocodiles decreased substantially over the last years. As to Crocoloco Crocodile Farm, they only loaned crocodiles to other zoos. And they never killed any of them.
Though Crocoloco Crocodile Farm has existed for many years, they still have difficulties getting all needed permits from the authorities. Therefore, there is no running water and no toilets on site.
Temperature
Crocodiles and turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination. The sex of the baby is determined by the temperature the egg was exposed to. But temperature affects not only gender. Crocodiles have several favorite positions depending on the temperature. When it is too hot, they are in the water. And when it is less hot, they are on land. And how much cooler affects whether they lay in the shade, under the sun, and with an open or closed mouth. Thus, another plus of visiting this place in the winter is that you will see them close by on land.
Since they have many teenagers, they are building another pool and expanding the site.
After petting a baby crocodile and visiting both ponds, we went to the nursery. There we saw crocodiles of different ages. And at this stage, the approximately forty minutes tour ended. And then, we had a short Q&A session.
Who Manages the Farm?
Crocoloco Crocodile Farm is managed by a married couple who spent their younger years in Africa. And for almost twenty years, they have been operating this farm by themselves.
Should I Join a Tour?
Yes. As I mentioned above, the farm is not a big one. And without the tour, you will probably get out of this place after ten minutes.
Should I Call in Advance?
We visited during the holidays and joined a tour. That is perhaps the only exception when you do not have to schedule. If you want to join a non-Hebrew tour or planning to visit on a regular day (not holidays), I would suggest calling in advance. As I mentioned, there are only two people on this farm, and life happens. And this leads us to the next question.
How Much Time Does a Visit at Crocoloco Crocodile Farm Take?
The tour took us about forty minutes. And you will probably wait till it starts. Moreover, you might want to wonder a little in the end. So, overall, it will take you about an hour.
Summary
We enjoyed the tour. I learned many new things and got to pet a crocodile. And I think it is a lovely place. Both adults and children will like the visit. But due to its location and size, it is not the day’s main attraction, but rather a stop on the way to Eilat or the Dead Sea.
Have you ever been to the Crocoloco Crocodile Farm? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
That’s all for today, and I’ll see you in future travels!
Stay Tuned!
Additional Resources
Here are several resources that I created to help travelers:- Israel Trip Planner is the page that will help you to create your perfect travel route.
- National Parks And Nature Reserves page lists and put all national parks on the map. There is also a top list, information about ticket types and campsites.
- If you are looking for things to do, here are the pages for Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Sea Of Galilee, and Makhtesh Ramon.
- Wondering what events are there in Israel? Here is the Events And Festivals By Season guide.
