RUMOUR FILE: Crocs, snakes, spiders discovered at Highton home

RUMOUR CONFIRMED: Police have stumbled upon a collection of up to 100 animals including snakes, crocodiles and spiders near Geelong.

Officers responding to a house alarm found the reptiles at a property in Highton at about 2.45am.

Police called in the Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning and the RSPCA to investigate.

DELWP wildlife officer Nathan MacDonald spoke to Neil Mitchell after the discovery this morning.

He said it was yet to be determined if any offence had occurred, and the owner of the home does have a permit to keep the animals.

‘We’ve found quite a collection, numbering between 50 and 100 individuals, of a mixture of lizards, snakes and a couple of small freshwater crocodiles,’ he said.

‘You can hold most of these species under licence so we are yet to determine where they have come from.

‘It is an unusually large collection for a private residence to hold.’

Listen to Mr MacDonald on 3AW Mornings: