PUBLISHED ONMarch 03, 2026 3:38 AMBYKoh Xing YingA komodo dragon at the Singapore Zoo found itself in an unexpected situation after undergoing an emergency when it swallowed two plush toys.
In a video shared on Mandai Wildlife Reserve's Instagram page on Monday (March 2), deputy vice president of veterinary healthcare and scientific programme, Dr Heng Yirui explained how the toys ended up in the animal's den.
Describing it as a "peculiar case", Dr Heng said he was first alerted by zoo keepers who reported that macaques in the area had become curious about a sealed bag.
"The bag did not contain valuables, but there were a few stuffed toys in it, and the mischievous macaques thought it would be funny to take (the) toys and hurl them around," said Dr Heng.
He added that at the time, a male komodo dragon named Mario became intrigued by the commotion.
"Komodo dragons are ambush hunters, and the fact that there were a lots of activity and movement in the den piqued his interest and he instinctively went for these toys," said Dr Heng.
While he noted that these animals typically regurgitate or vomit items they are unable to digest, there was unfortunately no such response even a day after Mario swallowed the plush toys.
Concerned that the toys might pass into the intestinal tract and potentially cause a life-threatening obstruction, Dr Heng said the veterinary team decided to insert a gastroscope into his stomach in an attempt to retrieve them during a medical procedure.
Despite their efforts, the toys could not be dislodged, and all the team managed to retrieve were a few threads.
Dr Heng explained that it was about 90 minutes into the procedure that they decided to retrieve the toys with their hands through the animal's mouth.
"Trust me, it is difficult to grab onto these toys with all your might. I could only manage to pull out the first toy (and) was so fatigued that I had to ask for help for the second toy," he said, adding that two plush toys were eventually removed from the animal's stomach.
Dr Heng shared that the next day after the procedure, Mario passed faeces, which was a relief to the medical team, as it indicated there was no intestinal obstruction — a complication they had been concerned about.
He added that visitors to the Singapore Zoo may notice wild animals in the area, such as macaques and colugos, and emphasised the importance of coexisting with them.
"Knowing that the macaques call Mandai home too, and that we share the same space with them drives importance of us learning how to coexist with our local wildlife," said Dr Heng.
In the comments section, several netizens praised Dr Heng and his team for their swift action.
"Thank goodness, Mario! Glad you are well and okay," said one user. Another wrote, "Thank you, doctor and the Mandai team, for your quick and attentive action!"
Others, however, cautioned visitors to be mindful of people who might attempt to hand toys to the animals.
"Some people might have the funny idea of bringing a toy and pass it to them. Please watch out for those carrying toys in," commented another.
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xingying.koh@asiaone.com