Woman Provides Endangered Crocodiles Free Shelter in Her Accessories Closet

"I've just got oodles of space where more shoes, belts, and purses should be," says nature lover.

photo credit: via Wikimedia Commons

SELF-PROFESSED "total fan of crocodiles" from Tampa, Florida, has set aside a significant portion of her enormous walk-in closet as a "permanent shelter" for the primitive reptiles.

"I don't care what anyone says," gushed Sandra L. "I think crocodiles are completely adorable, especially the babies, and they are welcome to stay with me as long as they like. Including forever!"

What the Tampa resident calls her "walk-in closet" is actually an entire bedroom converted into clothing and accessory storage. Sandra bemoans her lack of accessories, but says the crocodiles are "a great addition" to her unused square footage.

"I’ve just got oodles of space where more shoes, belts, and purses should be," said Sandra.

The Tampa native has dyed her existing assortment of endangered crocodiles "in a rainbow of fun colors to match my wardrobe." She has also arranged some of the reptiles in shoe boxes, while others are draped over rods with her belts "so my teensy belt collection doesn't look so pathetic!"

Any additional crocodiles Sandra brings home will live adjacent to her purse collection, "because," she said, "I think they would look darling next to my faux-crocodile bags and really set off their hardware like only genuine American crocodile hide can do. I am all about 'made in the U.S.A.'!"

Although a few local naturalists admit to some skepticism over Sandra's true motives, the self-described nature lover assures them the crocodiles in her care "receive all the TLC I could possibly give them, especially because they give me so much more than I can ever put into words."

Reporters so far have been denied first-hand access to Sandra's walk-in wardrobe to view her crocodile collection, but the fashionable Tampa native says she's "only being protective, as any crocodile mother would," adding, "Don't you get too close now, or I might drown you in a swamp and feed you to my babies! Kidding!!"