Photo Credit (Pixabay)
Videos of a startlingly thin crocodile kept at the Guangzhou Zoo in China went popular online, drawing criticism.
On Chinese social media, images and videos of a crocodile so thin that you can actually see its spine and count its ribs have been making the rounds and igniting a contentious discussion over how animals should be treated. The reptile, which is said to be at Guangzhou Zoo, appears to be more of a fossil than a live creature, although one video footage shows it moving slowly inside its cage. Many have accused the zoo of animal cruelty for either starving the crocodile or disregarding its condition, while the person who took the video and uploaded it online showed compassion for the animal.
The Guangzhou Zoo released a statement in response to the public’s concern over its skin-and-bones crocodile, stating that the reptile had not been abused and that its startling appearance was the result of gastroenteritis. The illness, which is typically brought on by bacteria or viruses, is typified by symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting that resulted in a significant loss of weight.
Chinese journalists were informed by a zoo spokesman that “he is currently receiving treatment and will be given extra care in the future.”
Critics were unimpressed with the zoo’s explanations; several expressed skepticism, while others questioned how long the crocodile’s gastroenteritis had gone untreated.
