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Crocodile Dies at Smithsonian’s National Zoo From Presumed Electrical Injury

Incident Date:
12/17/2022
Location:
Washington, DC, DC - USA
Facility Name:
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Reptiles
Animal:
Crocodile
Animal disposition:
Dead

Summary:

A 10-year-old male Cuban crocodile at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo has died from a presumed electrical injury sustained in his indoor habitat.

Staff discovered the deceased crocodile the morning of December 17th. The evening before, they had conducted a routine exhibit-integrity inspection at closing, concluding that nothing was wrong with the enclosure.

Staff deduced the crocodile was attracted to a replacement electrical outlet and attacked the electric infrastructure in the habitat, despite the new outlet being positioned higher than the original outlet. Known for their aggressive behavior, the crocodile pulled the electric equipment off the wall and bit various pieces.

He had been living in this habitat without incident for several years, and the exhibit passed an accreditation inspection by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2018.

Action take by Born Free USA:

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