Crocodile loses appetite after swallowing cell phone

A crocodile in Ukraine who swallowed a cell phone has refused to touch his food for a month and attempts to prompt nature to take its course have so far failed.

The Nile crocodile named Gena, who will turn 15 next month, swallowed the phone when a visitor tried to take a picture of him in late December. The ring tone could be heard from inside the reptile for several days afterwards.

Eduard Manukyan, a representative of the aquarium in Ukraine's eastern city of Dnipropetrovsk, said that Gena's condition was worsening by the day but staff fear an operation to extract the phone may be too dangerous.

"He moves around, goes into water but has not eaten for a month," Manukyan told AFP.

In an effort to induce bowel movements, vets gave Gena laxatives and vitamins injected in quail but he refused to touch it.

"Now we will be trying to warm up the water and air to speed up digestion," Manukyan added.