A zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, is urging its visitors to stop tossing coins into enclosures after a rare white alligator had to undergo an emergency procedure to have dozens of coins removed from its stomach.
Seventy coins were extracted from Thibodaux, a 36-year-old American alligator, on Feb 15, according to veterinarians at the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
"A plastic pipe was placed to protect his mouth and safely pass the tools used to access the coins, such as a camera that helped us guide the retrieval of these objects,” said Christina Ploog an associate veterinarian at the zoo.
Ploog said the coins were found and removed during a routine exam "before they caused any problems." She suspects Thibodaux ingested the coins in between cleanings of his habitat.
Thibodaux is one of 10 American alligators at the zoo, but what makes Thibodaux stand out is that he is leucistic, an extremely rare condition that causes gators to partially lose all types of pigmentation -- hence Thibodaux's translucent white skin and deep blue eyes.
The zoo urged guests to not throw coins at any exclosure and instead turn them in for a souvenir in one of the machines around the zoo.
