Clarence the crocodile, who bit a worker at the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, severely injuring him, had lived for decades with a family in Eilat. Dr. Reginald Morris who raised Clarence the crock, asked that he be donated to the zoo after his death.
Clarence was shot and killed by a security guard when he attacked the keeper who was severely injured and underwent 9 hours of surgery on Sunday. The hospital said he remained in intensive care under sedation.
For more than 30 years, Clarence lived with Dr. Morris and his wife Fay. "It's a terrible tragedy," their son Andrew said. "The caretaker who was bitten had been devotedly caring for Clarence for 12 years."
Andrew said Clarence must have felt threatened when he attacked his keeper. He did what he would do in the wild. We are, of course, deeply saddened by the tragic outcome, but it's clear that human life comes first."
Dr. Morris, a talented British physician, arrived in Eilat with his wife Fay in 1958 and fell in love with the place. He established the city's first medical services and became a key figure in the local community. In 1981, after a trip to Sudan, Dr. Morris received two young crocodiles as a gift. He brought them to his home where they joined other animals under his care.
The crocodiles, named Tut and Ra'am, became local attractions. After one of the crocodiles disappeared and was later found dead, the surviving one was renamed Clarence. He became an integral part of the Morris family and a had a special bond with Morris, He was also well loved by the Eilat community.
Many people, including celebrities like Brooke Shields, visited Clarence. Dr. Morris and his wife Fay were active community members. Fay had been given a title of nobility from Queen Elizabeth for her volunteer work.
In 2012, Dr. Morris passed away. Before his death, he requested that Clarence, who was then 3.5 meters long, be donated to a zoo. Clarence was transferred to the Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem in 2013, where a special enclosure was built for him. The move was an emotional moment for the Morris family. The zoo placed a sign telling the story of Dr. Morris and Clarence, complete with their photographs.