X-ray shows 'coin' in alligator's stomach, US zoo urges tourists to not throw objects

A routine examination of a pair of Chinese alligators stunned the veterinary staff at the Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri, US after the foreign object was discovered in the reptile’s body. In a post on Facebook, the zoo shared the footage of the medical evaluation, as Dr. Chris Hanley, an assistant director of animal health, informed that the routine wellness exams showed the coins stuck inside the gators’ body that shocked the zoo's medical team. An abdominal ultrasound was carried out on the male and female gator to check if she had conceived as the follicles had developed, however, inspection revealed metal in the X-ray scan that the zoo feared was left by the tourists in the park.

“The animal care staff at the Herpetarium had noted an increase in the female’s body size, which could indicate she was developing eggs. While we were there, we performed a wellness exam on the male alligator, as well,” the Saint Louis Zoo informed in an online post, sharing the footage.

“Both alligators were weighed and received physical examinations,” it said, adding, “ whole-body radiographs, and blood was collected for a CBC and biochemical profile” was carried out on the reptiles. While the female did not have any eggs yet, the radiographs detected an opaque circular object in its stomach. It was later found that the foreign object ingested by the reptile was a coin, and the doctors will now have to remove it gastroscopically at a later date under general anesthesia.

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Commenters 'saddened' at incident

“Please be careful around our open habitats. Animals can ingest anything that might accidentally fall in,” the Zoo warned the visitors. “Call the Be Kind Line phone number,” it urged, in case of a mishap of such nature and “help protect animals” it appealed. The update caused a stir among the social media users as users found the incident as “sad” and disturbing, and thanked the zoo for keeping the wildlife safe. “This really irks me! I have no shame hollering back at dummies at the zoo,” a commenter pointed out at reckless visitors. “Why are some people so freakin horrible?! Why would someone do that,” another said, aggravated. In the footage, Hanley explained that the metal was white, a foreign object, while displaying the X-ray scan. He added that such metals or any other objects ingested by animals pose a risk to their well being when put into their exhibit.

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