The Bronx Zoo, which had been taking care of the reptile since mid-February, confirmed Friday that the almost 5-foot alligator that had been captured in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park earlier this year had passed away.
In their first report since receiving the female alligator on February 19, zoo officials described her passing as a “tragic case of animal abuse.”
The reptile had profound anemia, continuous and severe weight loss, and numerous illnesses, according to a necropsy. The 4-inch bathtub stopper that was discovered inside her stomach in late February also caused her to develop a persistent ulcer. She received medical care once the plug was successfully removed (the zoo claims she ate while being kept as an unlawful pet).
The tweet below confirms the news:
When the gator was rescued from Prospect Park Lake in Brooklyn in late February and brought to the Bronx Zoo for recovery, she weighed only 15 pounds. https://t.co/GcZG2YHbIm
— WGRZ (@WGRZ) April 22, 2023
When the alligator was finally rescued from the 37° lake, she was in horrible condition. According to the Bronx Zoo, she was underweight and lethargic, and her immune system wasn’t strong enough to fight off the diseases. She passed away on Sunday.
The alligator passed away on Sunday, April 16, despite considerable continuous medical care, nutritional assistance, and the successful removal of a bathtub stopper she had ingested while being kept illegally as a pet.
“Alligators and other wild animals do not belong in the pet trade or in people’s homes,” the Bronx Zoo said in a statement. “This alligator suffered and died because its owner decided to dump her in a frigid lake, in an extremely debilitated state, rather than provide her with the veterinary care that could have saved her. Wild animals are not pets.”
Clearly, not native to the New York region, alligators pose a threat to local wildlife and the ecosystem, according to experts. Both the release of animals into parks in New York City and the possession of alligators are prohibited.
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