By RIA Novosti
Auckland : Police are searching for thieves who stole a total of 18 baby crocodiles from a farm in northern Australia, local media said on Friday.
A group of thieves entered the farm in the Darwin region earlier this week and took the saltwater crocodiles, measuring about 37 centimeters (14 inches) in length, the national newspaper The Australian reported.
Each of the reptiles is worth about $1,000 on the black market, police said.
Saltwater crocodiles are the world’s largest and most dangerous crocodile species. The longest ‘saltie’ ever measured was 6.2 meters (20.3 feet).
Crocodile skins are exported for processing into leather goods such as handbags, belts and shoes, and crocodile meat is considered a delicacy at restaurants in Australia.