Everyone gets cranky when they have a toothache and usually a quick trip to the dentist can solve the problem but it’s not so easy when the patient is a 4.75m crocodile.
In an all-time first since his arrival in 2007, keepers at the Australian Reptile Park undertook the incredibly dangerous and mammoth task of catching Elvis, the massive saltwater crocodile after noticing he had a problematic tooth that was showing signs of infection.
Keepers knew that they would have to risk life and limb to catch Elvis and perform a health-check on the tooth to ensure he stays in good health.
There were a few close calls as keepers wrangled to restrain the huge reptile, with Elvis thrashing around and performing almighty death rolls as ropes were placed around his top jaw.
Once the ropes were placed, seven keepers had to dive onto his back while Reptile Park Director Liz Gabriel cautiously taped Elvis’s jaw shut.
To ensure the safety of the staff, vets and Elvis himself, the crocodile was given a muscle relaxant to make the mammoth task a little easier.
Once the relaxant had set in, Head Vet from Somersby Animal Hospital, Dr Robin Crisman, got to work taking X-rays of Elvis’s jaw to see what condition his teeth were in.
The X-ray revealed several problematic teeth that needed immediate removal.
Crisman had to place her hands in the mouth of a deadly creature to remove not one, but three teeth.
Park Operations Manager Bill Collett said saltwater crocodiles lose and replace their teeth naturally throughout their lifetime.
“(But) we saw a tooth growing in the wrong direction, so we had to perform a health-check to make sure that this tooth wasn’t going to cause any major health issues for Elvis,” he said.
“This health check was one like no other.
“Even throughout the procedure, all seven keepers needed to wrangle him to keep him restrained.
“Elvis is such a powerful animal and my whole body was sore by the end of the day.
“But after two hours, Dr Crisman had done an amazing job of finally removing all three teeth with her fingers intact.
“It was definitely an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ situation for our staff – this is easily the most dangerous health check you’ll ever perform right here at the Park.
“We’ve had Elvis since 2007 and we’ve never had to catch him, so this was a massive deal for our team.
“But, I’m glad to report that Elvis is now in good health since the operation and we’ll continue to monitor his health over the coming weeks.”
Elvis came to the Park from the Northern Territory where he was causing havoc to fisherman’s boats in Darwin Harbour.
He has a reputation for keeping staff on their toes and is an ambassador for saltwater crocodiles and one of the most popular animals at the Park.
By having such a large profile, he serves to provide people with a connection to saltwater crocodiles and educates his fans on the importance of saltwater crocodiles in the environment.
Source:
Media release, Dec 21
Australian Reptile Park