DUDLEY Zoo has said bonjour to a new crocodile and is asking visitors to name her.
The latest arrival came from France as part of a European breeding programme.
After discovering paired crocs Janet and Danzo were different sub-species, zoo staff had to make a snap decision to ensure a genetically pure captive population.
Zoo director, Derek Grove, said: “It came as a surprise that our crocodiles were in fact different sub-species, but once we were informed we separated them and after discovering Zoo des Sables d'Olonne has the same sub-species pairing we organised to swap the females.”
Janet was driven to the French zoo, after having a full health check by the zoo’s vet, Peter Stewart, who also inserted a microchip into the back of her neck as part of animal transportation requirements.
Vet Peter Stewart with section leader Jay Haywood and senior keeper Sam Grove
The new and yet unnamed, 26 year-old crocodile was then collected and brought back to Dudley, where she’s settling into the Reptile House in the adjacent pool to the 21-year-old male.
Derek added: “She’s separate from Danzo for the moment and will remain on her own for a couple of weeks until we’ve made sure she’s settled and eating well.
“But we’re aiming to get them together as soon as possible and hopefully they’ll soon breed and we’ll have a genetically pure captive population, rather than a mixed, which would have happened if we’d have kept Danzo and Janet together.”
Visitors can now submit names for the crocodile on the zoo's Facebook page – the winning suggestion will win an adoption package.
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