How does an electric eel get veterinary care at Zoo Miami? Very carefully.
Tesla the electric eel needed to see the doctor.
The 17-year-old eel at Zoo Miami had several growths develop over the past few weeks, so zoo staff decided to bring Tesla in for a procedure to remove them — a tricky proposition, given the eel’s ability to generate up to 800 volts of electricity.
On Tuesday, staffers used special rubber insulated gloves and nets to move Tesla, who’s about 4 feet long, into a transport container with water that had anesthetic drugs diluted in it. The anesthesia took hold on the way to the zoo’s animal hospital, and the eel was weighed, X-rayed and moved to an exam table.
A team led by Dr. Marisa Bezjian, associate zoo veterinarian, surgically removed several growths on Tesla’s body. Results from cultures and biopsies won’t be known for several weeks, so it’s unclear what’s causing the growths.
While the eel was under, staff drew blood and conducted an ultrasound to check for any other issues. Tesla is otherwise in good health and recovering well in the zoo’s “Amazon and Beyond” area, according to a news release.
Originally from Peru, Tesla is at an advanced age for electric eels — which aren’t technically eels. Electric eels are more closely related to knife fish, and they can breathe both in and out of water.
This story was originally published September 8, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
