Czech zoo keepers save rare bird's life with Coca Cola

Decin, North Bohemia, June 21 (CTK) - The Decin zoo keepers have successfully applied Coca Cola to save the life of a young Laughing Kookaburra, a rare exotic bird that suffered from serious digestive troubles and faced imminent death, the zoo said in a press release Thursday.

The Laughing Kookaburra, a species originating in Australia and very difficult to breed, hatched recently and the keepers, rejoicing at the arrival, put it in an incubator.

It fared very well for the first days. Afterwards problems emerged, however, the zoo expert Roman Rehak said.

The young bird suffered from digestive problems and was unable to accept food properly. That is why the keepers started to administer Coca Cola to it.

"It is a well-proved method. It is also known by a number of mums who give this drink to their kids if their bellies hurt," said Rehak, adding that the saccharides and caffeine supplied the small bird with the necessary energy.

Now it is completely fit, swallowing up a whole mouse a few times a day.

Several Czech zoos keep Laughing Kookaburras, but none except for Decin succeeded in breeding the species in the past two years.