Alwyn Lyall, the chairperson of the Rinyirru Lakefield Aboriginal Corporation, shared with SBS News the deep connection the community feels with Old Faithful, likening the crocodile to a family member.

“Old Faithful holds totemic significance for some members of the Kuku Warra Aboriginal group,” Lyall explained. “For many families, there are profound cultural ties to Old Faithful himself.”

The Queensland environment department issued a statement, affirming that it had selected the most appropriate facility for Old Faithful, considering the crocodile’s size and cultural significance.

“They should return him to us,” Lyall expressed. “I am waiting for Australia Zoo to reach out because they need to understand our perspective. What they are doing is not right. Our crocodile doesn’t belong there; he never should have been taken in the first place. He needs to come back home.”

“What they should do is bring it back home. I’m waiting for that Australia Zoo to contact me, because they need to hear it from us, what they do is not right. We don’t want our crocodile down there; he shouldn’t have gone down there in the first place. He should be brought back home here,” he said.