An alligator, with its upper jaw missing, has been spotted roaming around a Florida park, sparking debate about how the injury might have happened.
The alligator was pictured by a local woman who found it wandering in a remote park called Wilson’s Landing, north of Orlando, WESH reported.
The shocking photo shows the alligator with the upper half of its jaws missing completely.
Marianne Pfeil/Getty
It is not clear how the alligator came to be in this predicament, however there are several theories.
The alligator could have gotten into a fight with another. The reptiles are typically very territorial and fights between them can become vicious, causing severe injuries such as this one.
Another theory is that this alligator may have been caught in a trap, WESH reported. Traps, such as snares, are notorious for causing extreme damage such as this.
Snares are designed to clamp down on an animal, keeping it in place. This alligator’s upper jaw could have been torn off in its struggle to escape.
HELP FOUND–UPDATES AT BOTTOM OF POSTIs anyone in the area that can HELP this poor alligator?
I contacted the FWC immediately, but don’t know how long…
Katrina Shadix, who is an executive director at nonprofit conservation group Bear Warriors United, posted a picture of the alligator to Facebook group Florida Friends of Wildlife Rehabbers & Rescuers, stating that she had emailed the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for help.
A licensed trapper was sent to the area to catch the alligator, however it jumped back into the water and became hard to catch.
“The licensed HUMANE trapper went into the shallow water to try to get him, but then the gator swam into the larger, deeper part,” Shadix wrote on Facebook.
“We will never know who or what did this to the poor alligator. Some think the injury is from another gator; some think it’s from a propeller; I think it might a snare trap injury.”
Some Facebook users do not think there is much hope for this alligator.
“Unfortunately there is no way for anyone to save the gator, euthanasia is the only option,” one Facebook user said. “It has no way to bite, chew or eat and it will slowly starve to death. Can you contain the gator? He needs to be contained and brought to a vet so he can be euthanized.”
There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators living in Florida. Special permits are required to hunt the species.
They usually keep to their preferred habitats of waterways and swamps, meaning they rarely bother humans.
Licensed trappers may remove an alligator from an area if they deem that it is causing a disturbance or a danger to people, or if it needs help. However, conflicts are relatively rare and only occur if the reptile feels provoked in some way.
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