MONROE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — In a tale of survival, a courageous crocodile in the Florida Keys is on the mend after enduring the horrors of being shot and having a spear lodged in her head.

According to our partner CBS Miami, citizens alerted authorities over the weekend after spotting the injured reptile, prompting a response from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers.

Despite their best efforts, officers reportedly couldn’t capture her on Saturday. However, CBS Miami said that after a coordinated effort with Zoo Miami and a local trapper, they successfully secured the crocodile on Monday and rushed her to Zoo Miami for urgent care.

Dr. Gwen Myers, the Chief of Animal Health at Zoo Miami, led the treatment team. She revealed to CBS Miami that the spear had likely been stuck in the reptile’s head for about a week.

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The team said that they were able to remove the spear manually without needing surgery.

However, an X-ray uncovered another shocking discovery: a bullet was lodged in her skull. Luckily, it appears to be harmless, as it doesn’t affect any vital organs. For now, they plan to leave it where it is, per CBS Miami.

The Zoo Miami team is focused on nursing the crocodile back to health, with hopes of releasing her back into her natural habitat in Key Largo.

According to Zoo Miami, a criminal investigation by FWC is now underway.

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