Bronx Zoo keeper treated and released at hospital after being bitten by crocodile
A Bronx Zoo worker suffered a minor wound after he was bitten by a crocodile on Sunday, according to zoo officials. Credit: Getty Images/Lya_Cattel
A rare member of the crocodile family "nipped" a zookeeper at the Bronx Zoo on Sunday, according to the zoo.
Police said that the unidentified 38-year-old animal worker was cleaning the enclosure in the Reptile House around 2:30 p.m. when he slipped and the small fish-eating Tomistoma, also known as a Sunda gharial, snapped at him.
The worker was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital, where he was treated and released, according to the NYPD.
A male Tomistoma crocodile swims at the Los Angeles Zoo in 2023. Credit: AP/Damian Dovarganes
“The keeper was treated at a local hospital and released for a minor wound which did not need stitches,” Mary Dixon, a spokeswoman for the Wildlife Conservation Society, which operates the zoo, said in a statement.
The Tomistoma, an endangered member of the crocodilian order, lives primarily in Southeast Asian countries, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo website. It has a long, narrow snout and primarily eats fish.
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Get ready for sun and fun with NewsdayTV's summer FunBook special! From celebrating America's 250th birthday to a new ride at Adventureland, NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your inside look at Newsday's summer FunBook.
