An alligator in Florida was diagnosed with an ear infection. (Sarah Carey | University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine)
St. Augustine, Fla.
An alligator at a Florida zoo recently went through an examination to find out what was causing his sudden “unusual behavior.”
Brooke, a 376-pound gator from the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, underwent an evaluation after displaying a series of actions that included intermittent head-rolling in his lagoon.
According to the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Brooke has been a popular zoo resident for nearly 20 years, and he was brought to its hospital on July 25.
The team said they performed a blood draw, lung X-rays and CT scans of Brooke’s head.
The X-rays were needed in addition to CT images because Brooke was too large to perform a complete CT scan of his body, the hospital team said.
It was determined that Brooke was suffering from an ear infection.
The college did not say what caused Brooke’s infection, but the team said they were able to return the gator to his habitat at the zoo later that day.
Zookeepers shared an update that Brooke would receive medicine “without any stress or worry” while thanking the veterinary team for their help.