Georgia DNR: Viral Gator Photo Going Around Is No Hoax
OutdoorHub Reporters 03.05.19
Biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources are letting folks know that a viral gator photo going around the internet lately is no hoax.
“Apparently a lot of people think it’s fake, but I assure you that it is not,” said Brent Howze, a DNR wildlife biologist. “I’m the one in the picture, and you can probably tell that I didn’t get too close to it.”
The 700-pound beast was found in an irrigation ditch near Lake Blackshear after a farmer discovered it and called the DNR. Unfortunately, the reptile was in pretty bad shape with what appeared to be “gunshot wounds,” Howze told the Cordele Dispatch. “It’s an unfortunate situation, but the best thing for the animal was to put it down.”
It was an absolutely massive alligator, which reportedly measured 13-feet, 4-inches and was estimated to weigh roughly 700-pounds.
In an interview with Albany, Georgia, TV station WALB, Howze claimed “You’re perfectly safe. These animals exist. They’ve been here for centuries, they’ve been existing with people for centuries and they’re gonna continue to.”
As impressive as this monster was, Georgia DNR points out – while rare – male alligators can actually grow to 16 feet in length!
