Weighing in
at an estimated 320 kilograms (~700 pounds), this alligator was recently caught
lurking in an irrigation ditch near Lake Blackshear in Georgia. Along with
measuring a lengthy 4 meters (13 feet) from tip to tail, this chunky fella also
has a chest girth of 144 centimeters (57 inches).
The ‘gator
was caught by wildlife experts at Georgia's Department of Natural Resources
(DNR) after a local farmer found the reptile in an irrigation ditch, CBS News
reports.
"We
have captured quite a few alligators, but none this large," Brent Howze, a
DNR wildlife biologist, told CBS News.
"It was
a little unnerving at first given its size and power, but I work with an
amazingly talented group of folks and we were pretty confident we could deal
with the situation," he added.
During the
20th century, American alligator populations across the southern states were
decimated by overhunting and habitat loss. By the late 1980s, huge conservation
efforts saw their numbers make a comeback and the critters are now thriving. It
was a very unusual story of rapid collapse followed by a quick and complete
recovery. While this is encouraging, their abundance means that populations
have to be managed and hunted, especially if they are found in dangerous
proximity to human populations or livestock.
The DNR
noted that the individual was exceptionally old. They were even able to discern
scars from old gunshot wounds along its body. Unfortunately, due to its poor
health and age, they made the decision to euthanize the old beast.
“It’s an
unfortunate situation, but the best thing for the animal was to put it
down," Howze told the Cordele Dispatch.
“There’s
only one way for an alligator to live this long, and it’s by avoiding humans.”
Photographs
of the alligator were shared on social media and, as you can imagine, it went
viral pretty quickly. However, not everyone was convinced the image is real.
The DNR has since spoken out to confirm that this big 'gator is the real deal,
although there might be a slight camera perspective trick going on.
“Apparently
a lot of people think it’s fake, but I can assure you that it is not,”
confirmed Howze, speaking to the Cordele Dispatch.
“I’m the one
in the picture, and you can probably tell that I didn’t get too close to it.”
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