KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Zoo Knoxville’s Cuban crocodiles received a special Thanksgiving treat Wednesday, giving them a chance to show off their powerful leaping abilities.
Both crocodiles, named Miguel and Rose, enjoyed large turkeys that were lowered into their enclosure with a crane. The holiday enrichment activity provides the crocodiles with both nourishment and an opportunity to display their natural leaping abilities
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Every year, keepers provide the crocodiles with turkeys as a seasonal treat in their habitat inside the Zoo’s Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus. Zoo Knoxville shared the video of Miguel leaping out of the water and grabbing the turkey.
The Zoo explained that the treat encourages the crocodiles’ natural behaviors, including their explosive vertical jump that Cuban crocodiles are known for. In the wild, Cuban crocodiles are able to leap vertically up to 6 feet from the water to capture their prey, and observations of the species suggest they may also exhibit cooperative hunting, which is a rare behavior among crocodilians.
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Cuban Crocodiles are listed as critically endangered. Although the species was once found throughout the Carribean, because of over-hunting by humans, Cuban crocodiles are now only found naturally in the Zapata Swamp in southern Cuba…