Abandoned 'pet' alligator too weak to eat after swallowing FOUR INCH BATH STOPPER is saved by Bronx zoo
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK: An alligator that was found abandoned in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park appeared too weak to eat on its own and was eventually found to have swallowed a bathtub stopper. The alligator is said to be 5 feet long and was abandoned in an emaciated condition on Sunday, February 19. The Bronx Zoo, which has now taken over caring for the alligator, said the animal was removed from the park after it was found to be “lethargic and suffering from exposure to cold temperatures.”
The alligator, unable to eat on its own, is now being fed through a tube with “nutrients as well as fluids, vitamin B, antibiotics and an antifungal medication.” The Independent reports that the alligator is estimated to be around five to six years old. An X-ray of the animal has now shown the bath stopper, which is lodged in its stomach. As of now, it has not been removed. “The alligator is currently in too weakened a condition to attempt removal of the stopper,” the Bronx Zoo had said. “We will continue to provide supportive care for her and determine next steps based on how she responds to treatment.”
READ MORE
Abandoned alligator in weak condition
The alligator is said to weigh only 15 pounds- which is half of what a healthy alligator has to weigh at its age and size. The bathtub stopper that was found lodged in the alligator’s tummy is said to measure upto 4 inches, and it is not clear as to how the animal came around to consuming the hazardous home device anyway.
It is highly possible that the alligator was kept as a pet by the person who had abandoned it. Interestingly, it must be noted that the keeping of alligators as pets and releasing them into city parks are both illegal acts.
Similar incident in Australia
This is not the only reptile-related incident making the headlines recently. In a devastating incident in Australia, a Queensland man had been attacked by a 4.2-meter crocodile. What’s devastating is that the crocodile further went on to eat the man’s dog, whom he had affectionately named Magic Molly. The crocodile was then euthanized and a necropsy was performed on it, with the remains of the dog being found in the crocodile.
