MEDIA RELEASE: National Aquarium of New Zealand
28 July 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Aquarium loses beloved Crocodile

The National Aquarium of New Zealand is mourning the loss of its beloved crocodile ‘Izzy’ who died today.

Izzy had previously shown no signs of ill health, leaving aquarium staff puzzled by her abrupt death. The staff and family at the aquarium are devastated by the loss of their friend, who has been a resident at the aquarium for just over 2o years.

Manager of the National Aquarium of New Zealand, Rob Yarrall says that Izzy has been such a big part of the aquarium for a long time so naturally they are all feeling the loss.

“Izzy came to us as a baby crocodile around 20 years ago so is a key member of our aquarium family. Not only are we clearly feeling the loss today, but so will many of our visitors who always loved to see Izzy during their visits,” says Rob.

Over the winter months Izzy goes into a stage of semi-hibernation being placid and quieter than normal, however Rob says there have been no signs of anything wrong to prepare for this sudden loss.

A specialist veterinarian has been called in to undertake a post-mortem to establish the cause of death. However, it is expected to be some time before it is known whether that can be determined.

“Once we have come to terms with the loss of Izzy it will be good to have some answers we can share with everyone,” says Rob.

He says they plan to organise a fitting farewell for their special friend.

Background information:
• Izzy came to the National Aquarium of New Zealand in the early 1990’s from a crocodile farm in Singapore.
• Izzy has never been identified as either a male or female because its sex cannot be determined externally, only internally
• Izzy was named in a competition held through primary schools
• Izzy was a saltwater crocodile. This species can live up to approximately 80 years of age.
ends

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