A white alligator at a zoo in Nebraska had to undergo surgery to remove 70 coins from its stomach. The 36-year-old leucistic alligator, named Thibodaux, has a rare condition that gives it white skin and blue eyes. The coins were thrown into the enclosure by zoo visitors and were eaten by the alligator over time. The zoo has urged visitors to refrain from throwing coins into any bodies of water at the zoo. Thibodaux has recovered from the surgery and is back in its habitat.

The zoo conducted a routine examination of all 10 alligators, including Thibodaux, which involved blood collection and X-ray imaging. When the coins were discovered, the zoo acted quickly and performed surgery to remove them before they caused any harm to the alligator. The procedure was led by associate veterinarian Christina Ploog, who used a plastic pipe to protect the alligator's mouth and safely retrieve the coins.

The zoo emphasized that this type of procedure is not common and highlighted the potential harm that coins can cause to animals. Ingesting coins can be dangerous for animals, as they may contain harmful chemicals. The zoo assured concerned individuals that they conduct routine cleanings in the habitats, but the alligators still manage to find and ingest the coins before they are removed.

This incident sheds light on the importance of being mindful of the objects we throw into animal enclosures. It is crucial to understand that even seemingly harmless items like coins can pose a threat to the health and well-being of animals. The zoo's successful surgery on Thibodaux serves as a reminder to visitors to respect the animals and their habitats by refraining from throwing any objects into their enclosures.

Original news source: US zoo extracts 70 coins from white alligator (BBC)

– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article. Then, ask them to summarize the main points of the article in a paragraph or two. Each group can then share their summary with the rest of the class.
– Opinion Spectrum
Instructions: Create a list of statements related to the article, such as "Throwing coins into animal enclosures is unacceptable" or "Zoos should have stricter rules to prevent visitors from throwing objects into animal habitats." Have students stand in a line and give them a scale of 1-10 (1 being strongly disagree and 10 being strongly agree). Read each statement aloud and ask students to stand at the point on the spectrum that represents their opinion. After each statement, allow a few students to explain their reasoning.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Choose 10 vocabulary words from the article, such as "leucistic," "enclosure," or "ingest." Divide the class into teams and give each team a whiteboard or a piece of paper. Call out a vocabulary word and each team has to draw a picture that represents the word. The other teams have to guess the word based on the picture. Teams earn a point for each correct guess.
– Keyword Taboo
Instructions: Write down several keywords from the article on separate index cards, such as "alligator," "coins," or "surgery." Divide the class into two teams. One member from each team comes to the front of the class and sits with their back to the board. Show the audience (the rest of the class) one of the keyword cards. The audience has to describe the keyword without using the actual word, and the team member at the front has to guess the keyword. The team that guesses the most keywords correctly wins.
– Future Predictions
Instructions: Ask students to imagine they are zookeepers at the Nebraska zoo where Thibodaux lives. In pairs or small groups, have them discuss and make predictions about what changes they would implement to prevent visitors from throwing objects into animal enclosures. They should also consider how they would educate visitors about the potential harm of such actions. After a few minutes, have each group share their ideas with the class.

A white alligator at a zoo in Nebraska had to undergo surgery to remove 70 coins from its ?. The 36-year-old leucistic alligator, named Thibodaux, has a rare condition that gives it white skin and blue eyes. The coins were thrown into the enclosure by zoo ? and were eaten by the alligator over time. The zoo has urged visitors to refrain from ? coins into any ? of water at the zoo. Thibodaux has recovered from the surgery and is back in its habitat. The zoo ? a routine examination of all 10 alligators, including Thibodaux, which involved ? collection and X-ray imaging. When the coins were discovered, the zoo acted quickly and performed surgery to remove them before they ? any harm to the alligator. The ? was led by associate veterinarian Christina Ploog, who used a plastic pipe to protect the alligator's mouth and safely retrieve the coins. The zoo emphasized that this type of procedure is not common and ? the potential harm that coins can cause to animals. Ingesting coins can be dangerous for animals, as they may contain harmful chemicals. The zoo assured concerned individuals that they conduct ? cleanings in the habitats, but the ? still manage to find and ? the coins before they are removed. This incident sheds ? on the importance of being mindful of the objects we throw into animal enclosures. It is crucial to understand that even seemingly harmless items like coins can pose a threat to the ? and well-being of ?. The zoo's successful ? on Thibodaux serves as a reminder to visitors to respect the animals and their habitats by refraining from throwing any objects into their enclosures.

1. What is a leucistic alligator?
2. How would you feel if you saw someone throwing coins into an animal enclosure at a zoo?
3. Do you think people should be allowed to throw coins into animal enclosures? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever witnessed someone throwing objects into an animal enclosure at a zoo? How did it make you feel?
5. What other types of objects do you think people should avoid throwing into animal enclosures?
6. Do you think the zoo should impose stricter rules and penalties for people who throw objects into animal enclosures? Why or why not?
7. Have you ever visited a zoo where visitors were allowed to feed the animals? How did you feel about this practice?
8. How do you think the alligator felt while it had the coins in its stomach?
9. Do you think the alligator's rare condition made it more susceptible to eating the coins? Why or why not?
10. What other dangers do you think animals in zoos face due to human behavior?
11. How do you think the zoo can prevent visitors from throwing objects into animal enclosures in the future?
12. What do you think the zoo should do if they catch someone throwing objects into animal enclosures?
13. Have you ever witnessed an animal getting sick or injured due to human interaction at a zoo?
14. Do you think people should be educated about the potential harm they can cause to animals in zoos? Why or why not?
15. How do you think the zoo can raise awareness about the importance of respecting animals and their habitats?

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