© 2024 Public Radio Tulsa
800 South Tucker Drive
Tulsa, OK 74104
(918) 631-2577

A listener-supported service of The University of Tulsa
classical 88.7 | public radio 89.5
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Plastic Bottle Kills OKC Gator

Oklahoma City skyline
Tinker AFB
Oklahoma City skyline

By Associated Press

Oklahoma City, OK – Water bottles found in stomach of dead alligator

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Veterinarians at the Oklahoma City Zoo say seven plastic water bottle were found in the stomach of an alligator that recently died.

Veterinary services director Jennifer D'Agostino says the bottles created a blockage that prevented the alligator from digesting food correctly. She says the blockage became infected and the infection spread to the rest of the body.

D'Agostino and her staff used an arthroscope to check other alligators at the zoo and found coins, bottle caps, more plastic bottles and a child's shoe.

One alligator had swallowed a little plastic alligator.

The veterinarians pulled out the small items but are trying to figure out how to pull out the big things without major surgery.

___

Information from: The Oklahoman, http://www.newsok.com

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.