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Sunday, September 7, 2008

Photo: Rare Reptiles' Mass Die-Off Due to Poison-Induced Gout


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A recent mass die-off of rare reptiles known as gharials—like the one seen above in a 2006 photo taken at a crocodile farm in France—likely occurred after the crocodile-like reptiles ate fish carrying industrial chemicals, officials announced.

More than a hundred animals have been found dead in an Indian river sanctuary since December 2007. They appear to have suffered from debilitating gout caused by damaged kidneys.

Photograph from AFP/Getty Images