Crocodiles and alligators, which were once owned by legendary musician Michael Jackson, have been "boiled to death" in a suspected arson attack.
The fire at an interactive zoological park also destroyed two enclosures, killing eight reptiles, and a video production studio, but one female crocodile survived the blaze by escaping her enclosure when its doors blew off, the Daily Star reported.
Joe Schreibvogel, the founder and spokesman for the park, has blamed animal rights activists and extremists, who have been longtime enemies of the park, for the "personal" fire attack.
Schreibvogel added that when they closed down Neverland Ranch and auctioned off Jackson's property, they asked the park people to come and get all the reptiles and alligators and other stuff.
He noted that they also helped them relocate and move some giraffes Jackson had on the property.
Schreibvogel added that animal rights activists, who targeted the studio to shut him up, wanted to get him off air or else they would have targeted someone else in the zoo.
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Local sheriff Larry Rhodes said that by no means were they close to any conclusion in this investigation, but they do have a clear criminal act in this case whereas in the past they haven't always had that.
A specialist arson investigator had ruled out an electrical fault.
