Kajsa, Rescued Swedish Greenhouse Nile Croc Thriving at Zoo
10 YEARS AFTER BEING FOUND IN A SWEDISH GREENHOUSE, KAJSA THE NILE CROCODILE CONTINUES TO THRIVE AT CROCODILES OF THE WORLD
Kajsa (centre)
Kajsa, a Nile crocodile with an extraordinary past, has been thriving at Crocodiles of the World since her arrival from Sweden in 2014. Her journey to the UK’s only crocodile zoo was far from typical – as Kajsa was originally discovered by police in a greenhouse when they raided a property suspected of storing stolen goods in Malmö.
Earlier this month, Gustav Wirtén from the Swedish news outlet Sydsvenskan visited the zoo to record a podcast updating listeners on Kajsa’s life since her rescue. At the time of her rescue, the story made headline news in Sweden.
Shaun Foggett, Founder of Crocodiles of the World, explained: “Kajsa, was around two metres in length when Swedish police found her. There were no viable options to rehome her in a Swedish zoo, so we were asked if we could help to save her from being euthanised. Crocodiles have a similar life span to humans, so she has a long life ahead of her.”
Shaun added: “We know very little about her life in the greenhouse, she was slightly small but in surprisingly good health, other than a burn on her lower back, most likely from a heat lamp. After an extended period of quarantine, Kajsa joined our group of Nile crocodiles. We think she was around eight years old when she joined us and is now one of the biggest in our Nile group – in fact, she’s most definitely the boss of the group.”
Podcast producer Gustav Wirtén said: “It was incredibly interesting to see Kajsa the Nile crocodile in the flesh. Her story in the greenhouse stirred a lot of emotion in our part of Sweden, and I think many will be happy to see that she’s thriving at Crocodiles of the World. The only thing that hints at her former life is the small white triangular mark on her lower back.”
Gustav Wirtén, Podcast Producer, with Zoo Founder, Shaun Foggett
Crocodiles of the World is home to over 100 crocodiles, including critically endangered species. The majority of crocodile species are solitary, mostly live alone other than during mating season, whereas Nile crocodiles are an exception and are often found basking on riverbanks in large groups. The zoo is home to a group of 26 Nile crocodiles who bask together on the land and once warmed up, will swim and feed in the water.
Kajsa is not the only rescued crocodile at the zoo, as around the same time, the zoo was asked to re-home a Nile crocodile who was found in a polluted river in Beirut, Lebanon. ‘Lebby’ as she is affectionately known, was very poorly with blood poisoning and parasites which had to be treated. Lebby is also flourishing and alongside Kajsa and the other Niles, delights visitors during feeds when they show their impressive ability to propel themselves out the water to catch their prey.
