Dnipro crocodile killed in Russian strike to become museum exhibit

"It will be taxidermied. This is very painstaking work, especially since the crocodile is large — three meters long, the largest of all known specimens represented in Ukraine's zoos and aquariums," he explained.

"We already have preliminary agreements with the museum; we are waiting for specialists to return from leave, and then we will transport the animal's body. It is now frozen, and it can only be thawed once, so we are waiting until everything is ready for the specialists to begin their work."

The director noted that the museum already houses one crocodile, which was transferred during the Soviet era, though its size is significantly smaller than Gena's. The crocodile killed in the Russian attack had reached dimensions that animals of its species rarely attain in captivity.

Gena was originally donated to the Aquarium educational and scientific complex of Dnipro National University by a local businessman who had received the reptile as a gift. As the crocodile grew, it began biting and behaving aggressively, prompting the businessman to transfer the animal to a facility equipped to provide better care.

"This year, we planned to reconstruct his terrarium, and funds had been allocated for it. Unfortunately, he did not make it, even though he previously survived difficult conditions during the blackouts," Yerukh added.

According to the Aquarium director, acquiring a new crocodile is not being considered, as the primary focus must remain on restoring the facility, which consisted almost entirely of glass structures.

Mykola Yerukh also shared that most of the aquarium's inhabitants survived, including rare species of large fish and turtles. Although the blast wave blew out one of the walls of the central interior tank, the water did not drain completely, enabling the fish to survive.

Aquarium representatives are conducting negotiations with teams from similar institutions across Europe to discuss building restoration efforts and potential assistance. Additionally, the educational and scientific complex team has launched a fundraising drive for construction materials and supplies.

On July 5, around 6 a.m., a Russian missile struck just a few dozen meters from the Aquarium building, blowing out windows and damaging the facade, classrooms, laboratories, and tanks.

Gena's condition was noticed shortly afterward — the animal lay underwater and did not react to stimuli. The crocodile lived at the Aquarium for 25 years and likely died from barotrauma caused by the shockwave. According to Mykola Yerukh, Gena suffered lung damage characteristic of barotrauma, where water under explosive shockwave pressure damages the organ internally.

Gena survived repeated shelling throughout the winter of 2025/2026. At that time, due to the lack of electricity and heating, staff members virtually lived at the aquariums to maintain the necessary environmental conditions for their animals.