A Cuban crocodile named Fidel celebrated his 40th birthday this Wednesday in an unusual way: with a cake made of beef that was specially prepared for him at the Almaty Zoo in Kazakhstan, where he is the oldest resident in the park.
"Today, the Almaty Zoo is celebrating a special event. The Cuban crocodile Fidel is marking his 40th birthday," reported the Mayor's Office of the former Kazakh capital, in statements collected by the agency EFE.
The reptile, a specimen of Crocodylus rhombifer, was born in 1986 and arrived at the Almaty Zoo in 2001 from the Riga Zoo in Latvia, where it had remained for several years.
On the occasion of the celebration, the zoo stated that a "birthday star as impressive" as this one couldn't receive a traditional cake, so his caretakers prepared one made of beef, his favorite food.
At nearly four meters in length, Fidel has become one of the great symbols of the zoo. According to park authorities, he is in good health, remains active, and is constantly monitored by the veterinary team.
His name does not go unnoticed either. The crocodile was named in reference to the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, a detail that often piques the curiosity of many visitors.
Like other large crocodiles, Fidel only feeds once a week. Every Tuesday, between 2:00 and 3:00 PM, he receives his portion of food, a moment that has become one of the main attractions of the zoo and draws numerous visitors interested in observing the process. The zoo even invited the public to leave congratulatory messages for the veteran reptile, assuring that it would deliver all the good wishes to its unique honoree.
The Cuban crocodile is considered one of the most intelligent species in its family, due to its ability to recognize signals and respond to specific commands, a trait that is uncommon among crocodilians.
Beyond the celebration, Fidel's story also highlights the delicate situation of this species in its natural habitat. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the Cuban crocodile as a critically endangered species, with an estimated wild population of only about 3,000 individuals, primarily concentrated in the Zapata Swamp in Matanzas and the Lanier Swamp on the Isle of Youth.
Among the main threats are habitat loss, poaching, and hybridization with the American crocodile, factors that have significantly reduced its population. Additionally, the species is listed in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which grants it the highest level of protection against international trade.
It is not the first time that a captive Cuban crocodile outside the island has drawn attention. In late 2025, the case of Kuzya emerged, another specimen of the same species that spent three decades living in a plumbing store in Novosibirsk, Russia, until the enactment of a law prohibiting the keeping of wild animals as pets forced its owner to surrender it to a specialized center.
Founded in 1937, the Almaty Zoo is the oldest in Kazakhstan and has Fidel not only as its oldest resident but also as one of the most iconic animals of the institution.
Filed under: