While not all of these eggs are fertile, we expect to hatch numerous babies. Also being incubated by the Reptile care staff are eggs from Texas Rat Snakes, Dwarf Crocodiles, East African Black Mud Turtles, and Mugger Crocodiles. Many of these eggs can be seen incubating in t he Herp Encounter section of the Small Animal Building. It's has been a prolific season for reptiles. Not all lay eggs, some give live birth as reported in the Zoo Babies section when 24 Pope's Pit Vipers were born earlier this year.
Surgery is sometimes necessary to assist animals through medical difficulties.
Dr. Gabrielle Falk, the Zoo's veterinarian, removed a mass from the foot of an 11 foot American Alligator. The alligator was restrained and a local anesthetic given so that his foot was numbed for the procedure. A female Jaguar developed a mammary tumor which was removed. The jaguar also received a general physical and got her teeth cleaned while she was sleeping. Assistance from human medical specialists sometimes augments our health care program.