I’d like to introduce myself, my name is “Crocodile Joe McQuade”, and I’m a conservationist who is in need of your help. I picked up the nickname “Crocodile Joe” after working with crocodiles in Australia.

So, in what sense am I a “conservationist”? For me, being a conservationist simply means that I’m concerned about preserving the natural world, or at least trying to avoid any rapid negative changes to this delicately balanced planet we all live on. It’s about ensuring that not only human beings, but animals like crocodiles, deer, badger, newt, fox and frog are kept safe, so that our environment and its complex biodiversity are maintained for our future generations.

But conservation is a global concern because it affects everybody. It affects people in the back streets of Manchester, just as much as it affects the people in the back streets of Delhi, or New York. It’s a tragic fact, but we live in an age where all life is constantly under threat, where species disappear without notice, leaving our world with its complex ecosystems, struggling to cope and adapt.

So where do I fit into all of this, and what am I about? I suppose at its simplest, my intention is to try and make adults and children more aware of the natural world we live in, and make them aware of changes, which just might erode and destroy the precious natural environment we are all so dependant upon.

I’m not fooling myself, what I’m about to propose will ultimately need the help of big business and its resources, and I’m also going to need lots of help from people like yourself in order to make even the slightest difference. I also understand there are certain things that individuals can’t do, such as stopping the deforestation of the rainforests or controlling the level of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, it takes a collaboration of many people to do that, simply because the problems are so big and complicated. However, individuals like you and me, can do certain things, which help to ensure that any future change can be change for the better.

I believe that the most important thing we can all do, is to become aware of the natural world we live in, and I don’t only mean the immediate environment that surrounds us, I mean the natural world that extends beyond our national boundaries. This is because the problems we face in the 21st century are of global concern. Given that conservation is a global issue, why shouldn’t a child who lives in Manchester understand, and empathise with, say the everyday dangers the Australian saltwater crocodile has to overcome in order to survive. In fact, by using some exotic and extremely dangerous animal, like a saltwater crocodile, as a means of explaining a particular threat to natural world, both teaching and learning becomes much easier, and a lot more fun.

To this end, I have brought four of the most magnificent pieces of conservation art in the world, back with me from Australia to the UK, they are four saltwater crocodiles, one of whichis a priceless 4.5 metre (14 feet) long saltwater crocodile named “Spartacus”. Tragically “Spartacus” died as the result of eating many plastic bags during his long 80 or 90 year life, mistaking them as jellyfish. Sadly, lots of marine animals such as whales, sharks, turtles, porpoises and dolphins also die every year as the result of eating plastic bags. Plastic bags have even been found as far afield as the North and South poles. It doesn’t take a genius therefore to see that the banning of plastic bags would save untold of numbers of marine animals each year from having to suffer a horrible death. Don’t let plastic bags kill our wildlife! We could begin the process of change for the better, by getting all the major Supermarket chains to ban the use of plastic shopping bags. This could be extended over time to include the banning of plastic bags for all packaging purposes. Given that the cost of replacing the lethal, almost indestructible plastic bag, with bio-degradable bags is negligable, then you have to ask the question, why do we continue to produce plastic bags? I believe the answer is ignorance. I believe that people, and that includes the directors of supermarket chains, are generally unaware of the death and devastation this material creates for animals in the natural world. I believe that once people have an understanding of the dangers plastic bags create in the natural environment, the change will be inevitable.

What I’ve identified above is just one threat to the natural world, but there are many others. Basically, the mantra I’m trying to get the public chanting is, “the key to saving the natural world is to identify and understand the threats and dangers facing that world.” In a bid to keep adults/children entertained, whilst getting the conservation message across, I intend to encourage people to have their photographs taken with the crocodiles to raise funding for our conservation charities. After all, it's not everyday you get the opportunity to go face to face with one of the worlds most feared apex predators, or look into the eyes of a living day dinosaur.

I believe that all education should be fun, and I have devised two cartoon-like costume mascots to aid with the teaching, one I’ve named “CJ” and the other, “Sid the cuddly crocodile”. Both costumes are really eye catching in their detail and finish, the result of hundreds of hours of thought and hard work. Another idea I have is for the folders that carry the photographs, they are to be printed with adverts for the companies and organizations involved, maybe one of them could be yours? Finally, my ideas have already caught the attention of the media, resulting in me appearing on television, radio, and in newspapers. Ideally, it would be great to have a “Conservation Road Show” appearing in, for example, schools, colleges, museums, zoos and shopping malls throughout the country, with all my reptiles, creepy crawlies, costumes and crocodiles. Maybe with biodiversity and other conservation groups getting involved.

If you would like to book an event or party, get involved or sponsor Crocodile Joe, or would just like more information, please don't hesitate to contact us.