Alligator in Prospect Park: Bathtub stopper found in stomach of 4-foot-long alligator dumped in Brooklyn
Bronx, NY (WABC) — sick 4 feet long Crocodile caught on Sunday According to The Bronx Zoo, he was found to have swallowed a 4-inch-wide bathtub stopper in Brooklyn.
A member of the Prospect Park maintenance staff spotted an alligator near Duck Island on Prospect Park Lake.
Officials said the rescue was not too difficult given the alligator’s condition and proximity to shore.
The alligator is lethargic, extremely emaciated and suffering from exposure to cold temperatures and is currently being evaluated at the zoo by veterinarians and animal care staff, according to officials from the New York City Parks Department.
The zoo said the female crocodile was “slowly warmed to a suitable ambient temperature” and received supportive care.
The alligator is now too weak and unresponsive to eat on its own, so it is being tube-fed to provide her with nutrients and water.
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“When the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation brought the approximately five-foot alligator to the zoo, it weighed only 15 pounds and appeared very emaciated,” the Bronx Zoo said in a statement.
They say an alligator her size typically weighs 30 to 35 pounds.
A disturbing discovery was also made after the alligator, estimated to be five to six years old, was X-rayed. They showed that the alligator swallowed a bathtub stopper that was about four inches wide.
According to the zoo, the alligator is so weakened that it can’t be tried to remove the stopper and will be cared for and see how it responds to treatment.
“The tragedy of this situation serves as a reminder that wild animals do not make good pets and responsible pet ownership means making choices that do not harm individual animals or the environment.” said the zoo.
City officials are still looking for those responsible for dumping the alligator.
It is illegal to release animals in New York City parks. If you find an abandoned animal, your best bet is to leave it there and call 311 or find an Urban Park Ranger in the park.
Urban Park Rangers respond to approximately 500 animal condition reports throughout the city each year.
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https://abc7ny.com/bronx-zoo-alligator-prospect-park-brooklyn/12862647/ Alligator in Prospect Park: Bathtub stopper found in stomach of 4-foot-long alligator dumped in Brooklyn
