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Former crocodile owner Vicki Lowing knows how much work it takes to keep a crocodile as a pet.
"You've got to look at their diet, you got to have the sun, the vitamin D, the temperature has to be 30 degrees all year around, and always have to be wary of them, of course."
According to Ms Lowing, even a domesticated crocodile can still pose danger.
"They are very intelligent animals, and quickly, they move stealthily, and they learn fairly quickly, and they got a good memory, so you have to take all these things into consideration."
Despite the complexity and risks, in Northern Territory, owning a pet crocodile is still seen as the Territory's most authentic lifestyle.
But the hobby was banned in April by the then Labor government, as they stopped issuing new permits for owning a crocodile as a pet.
The ban sparked wide debate across the Territory, and during the Territory election in August, it was on the election agenda, along with cost of living and housing crisis.
With the promise of bringing the crocodile permits back, the Country Liberal Party won the election. And now, they've announced they will lift the ban and begin re-issuing new permits to crocodile lovers in the Territory.
In a statement, the Territory Minister for Parks and Wildlife, Marie-Clare Boothby, says the Country Liberal Party government is committed to restoring the crocodile-led Territory lifestyle, while ensuring safety and animal welfare standards.
“Crocodiles are synonymous with the Territory—that’s what makes our lifestyle so unique—and responsible owners have a right to own one with a permit. Labor blindsided Territorians with yet another foolish decision, ignoring the importance of consultation and community input. We are taking action to reverse this decision because opportunities like these are central to our Territory way of life.”
The ban on new crocodile permits was issued as part of the Northern Territory Labor's crocodile management plan, in the wake of the growing number of saltwater crocodiles in the Top End.
The species were protected from mass culls and hunting in the Territory in 1973, and since then, the numbers of the animals had grown from 3,000 to around 100,000.
Last year, a tourist was bitten by a saltwater crocodile in one of the popular destinations in Darwin.
The 10-year crocodile management plan included increasing the culling quota of saltwater crocodiles, and the ban on new permits for pet crocodiles.
But the later had caused mixed reactions.
Some animal advocate groups, including World Animal Protection and RSPCA NT, told the BBC in August that keeping crocodiles as pets may not help the wildlife meet its needs, while it's difficult for authorities to ensure these pet crocodiles are kept properly and receive appropriate medical care.
Some crocodile owners and enthusiasts have criticised the Labor government, claiming they were blindsided by the decision.
It's also just small number of people actually owning the permits. In 2019, there were around 100 permit holders across the Territory.
Alexander Williams is the Head Skipper of the jumping crocodile Cruise.
He says for Northern Territorians, crocodiles are part of the culture and lifestyle, and the authorities have set good rules to assess those who want a crocodile. But he believes more could be done, especially now that the government has resumed issuing the permits.
"It should be a little bit more stringent with allowing people to get them, and there are already good contingencies in place for that, again, if you live in urban areas you can only keep them to certain size, I think that's a great rule, it's an incredibly good idea, but I think there could be a few more measures in place to keep both the animals and owners safe."
Mr Williams suggests the Northern Territory authorities consider offering a training program for all new crocodile owners.
"I know that a lot of times, when you buy things like turtles and other animals that have slightly more requirements than dogs and cats, pet shops often will give you a caresheet, stating this is what the animals need, this is the requirement and closure, what kind of diet it requires, and again, crocodile is a little bit more than that."
The new permits for pet crocodiles will resume in early 2025. The permits have to be approved by the Administrator of the Northern Territory in accordance with the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976.
