Muja (alligator)

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Muja
Alligator Muja, Belgrade Zoo.jpg
Muja, the world's oldest known alligator
SpeciesAmerican alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
SexMale
HatchedEarly 1930s, possibly earlier
Germany
Known forOldest alligator in captivity in the world
www.beozoovrt.rs/heroji-vrta/aligator-muja/

Muja (/ˈmuːjə/; Serbian Cyrillic: Муја) is an American alligator at Belgrade Zoo in Serbia who has been described as the oldest living alligator in the world.[1] He potentially became the world's oldest American alligator in captivity when another of his species, Saturn, died in the Moscow Zoo in 2020.[2][3]

History[]

Muјa arrived in Belgrade in August 1937 from a zoo in Germany.[4][5] At the time he arrived he was already an adult. His hatch day is unknown, but according to news reports in 1937, Muja was two years old at the time.[4] He survived World War II, during which the Zoo was almost completely destroyed, and the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999. This bombing consisted of two carpet bombings, both of which Muja survived.

In 2012, he underwent a successful surgery where he had a part of his leg amputated, after he had been diagnosed with gangrene. Otherwise, Muja is healthy. He is fed 5–6 kg of meat once a week which consists of skinned rats, rabbits, bird, horse meat, and beef.[6] He eats this together with bones, which are good for his teeth and calcium levels.[7][8] Due to his old age, it is difficult for him to hunt for his food. Instead, zookeepers place it right in front of his jaw.[6]

Guinness recorded Muja as the "Oldest living alligator in captivity" stating that, "as of 22 May 2018 he was at least 80 years 252 days."[9]

References[]

  1. ^ Lazarević, Z. (22 August 2011). "Najstariji aligator na svetu živi u Beogradu" [The world's oldest alligator lives in Belgrade]. Blic (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 18 August 2018.
  2. ^ "Berlin WW2 bombing survivor Saturn the alligator dies in Moscow Zoo". BBC News. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  3. ^ Strege, David (5 August 2016). "World's oldest American alligator in captivity survived World War II bombings". GrindTV. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Meet Muja, world's oldest captive alligator who marks 83 years in Belgrade zoo". Rappler. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Muja the alligator still alive and snapping in his 80s at Belgrade Zoo". Reuters. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b "World's oldest captive alligator marks 83 years in Belgrade zoo". Bangkok Post. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  7. ^ "World's Oldest Alligator has surgery". MSN UK. UZoo. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Elderly alligator recovers after life-saving surgery". 3 News. Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Oldest living alligator in captivity". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 2 April 2021.

External links[]

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