ANIMALS
Zoo Miami Sedates Two Cuban Crocs To Check For A Plastic Bottle Lost in Their Habitat
Veterinarians at Zoo Miami in Florida had to sedate Cuban crocodiles Leroy and Princess on Wednesday to scan for a plastic bottle that fell into their habitat and couldnt be found.
The highly endangered Cuban crocodiles were brought to the zoos animal hospital for radiographs after staff could not locate a plastic bottle that patrons reported had fallen into their habitat.
Photos shared by the zoo show the crocodiles fast asleep and strapped down for their scans. Radiographs showed “small unidentifiable items” in the stomachs of both animals, and what “appeared to be a large bottle cap” inside Princess.
Staff spread the crocodiles jaws wide to use an endoscope to see inside their stomachs. Nothing significant could be seen inside Leroy, but attempts to use the endoscope on Princess were unsuccessful.
Because the object is small, zoo staff hope Princess is able to pass it naturally, and will monitor her in the meantime.
The zoo said foreign objects frequently find their way into animal habitats, causing significant health problems. Leroy had gastric surgery in 2019 to remove a metal can, and Princess has had a baby bottle removed with an endoscope, the zoo said.
“Over the years, everything from cell phones to sunglasses have been retrieved from the bellies of animals at the zoo, causing significant stress and in some cases, physical harm to those animals,” the zoo wrote alongside the photos on Instagram. “We ask that when visiting the zoo, please ensure that all personal items are secure to prevent them from ending up in habitats where they can be extremely harmful to the animals.”
