Crocodile dies after chewing on electric wire after being ‘attracted’ to it - The Guardian US

An endangered crocodile successful a Smithsonian zoo successful the US died aft seemingly biting into a unrecorded electrical cord successful its shelter.

The Cuban crocodile, a 10-year-old antheral reptile, was discovered connected 17 December wrong its enclosure by unit astatine the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI)’s Reptile Discovery Center successful Washington, DC.

The unit members determined that the crocodile apt died aft chewing a replacement electrical outlet aft being “attracted” to it, NZCBI said successful a statement.

“Known for their assertive behavior, the crocodile pulled the electrical instrumentality disconnected the partition and spot assorted pieces,” work portion of the statement.

The installation was inspected during closing the nighttime earlier the incident, erstwhile everything appeared to beryllium successful place. An probe is ongoing.

A antheral Cuban crocodile tin turn up to more than 10ft larger than pistillate crocodiles. The electrical instrumentality wrong the installation was lone 4.5ft high, which would person made it accessible to an average-sized antheral Cuban crocodile.

The crocodile is listed arsenic “critically endangered”, according to the Red List by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are recovered chiefly successful Zapata Swamp successful the south-west and Lanier Swamp connected Isla de Juventud successful Cuba.

The taxon is unfortunate to amerciable poaching for the harvesting of its meat.

In effect to the death, NZCBI is closing the enclosure to immoderate different habitants for the clip being, and establishing electrical breakers crossed the unit.