US: Bathtub stopper found stuck in stomach of ‘Godzilla’ alligator rescued in New York

A bathtub stopper was found inside the body of an alligator rescued in a New York City park, and her caretakers failed to pull it out because of the reptile's weakened state.

The 4ft-long female reptile, which was rescued from a lake located in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, was given the name “Godzilla” due to her size.

However, the alligator's health was in a dire state when she was rescued, and she was “extremely emaciated”, said the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in a statement.

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When Godzilla was discovered, she weighed around 15 lbs. As per the image of a radiograph, an object which was identified as a 4-inch wide bathtub stopper, was seen stuck in the right part of the alligator's stomach, said WCS in its statement.

The rescuers are not able to remove the stopper because of the “weakened” status of the alligator, which has become a hurdle in the recovery of the reptile.

Godzilla is not able to eat herself and is being fed vitamins and nutrients along with antibiotics and anti-fungal medicines through a tube.

According to animal groups, the alligator was most probably a pet who was eventually abandoned by the owner. As per the New York Times, this kind of abandonment is not an uncommon occurrence in New York City after such unusual pets complete “their cute phase”.

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“The tragedy of this situation is a reminder that wild animals do not make good pets and that responsible pet ownership means making choices that will not negatively impact an individual animal or the environment,” said WCS in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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