More than 150 adult crocodiles, alligators and caimans were rescued this week from the Toronto home of a man who reported that he could no longer care for them, according to the reptile rescue zoo that took in the animals.
The Indian River Reptile Zoo used four 26-foot-long trucks to transport the reptiles, which were all adults and between 4 to 11 feet in length, according to the zoo’s curator, Bry Loyst, ABC News reported.
“Interestingly enough, this individual phoned our rescue and told us he could no longer take care of the 150 crocodiles, alligators and caimans,” Mr. Loyst said. “I didn’t really believe it, but when I went over there, sure enough, it was true.”
The task took 25 volunteers to complete over a four-day period, beginning last Friday, ABC News reported.
The reptiles were in “fairly good health,” though many of them lacked muscle tone from being unable to move around in the aquariums they had outgrown, Mr. Loyst said.
The reptiles will be relocated to the zoo’s new $1 million crocodile rescue building.
The reptile rescue’s board of directors told Mr. Loyst not to share the identity of the reptiles’ owner, who donated a “generous amount” to the Indian River Reptile Zoo, Mr. Loyst said.
The maximum penalty for keeping crocodilia in Toronto is $5,000, a spokeswoman for the city told ABC News.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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