Vet performs surgery on wide-awake croc

A Taiwanese vet has successfully removed a tumour from a crocodile's mouth while the animal was awake.

Wang Kun-ming cut the growth from the 25-year-old, 1,250kg saltwater crocodile Hsiao-he at a zoo in Taiwan.

The crocodile's keeper discovered the tumor, approximately 15cm in diameter, last month, but could not find anyone to help him with proper treatment.

After ten vets declined to perform the operation, Wang accepted, injecting 60 ml of a local anaesthetic and cutting the tumour off with a blade.

Hsiao-he is thought to have injured himself in an attempt to swim out of his cage during the serious floods brought about by the deadly typhoon Morakot last year.

Among all the different species of crocodiles in the zoo in Tainan, the giant draws most of the attention.