Earlier this year, a farmer in Georgia made a remarkable discovery: a massive alligator that weighed roughly 700 Lbs.
According to CBS, a photo of the huge gator started making rounds over the internet, with many believing it was a hoax. Brent Howze, a Wildlife Biologist who works with the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, confirmed to the outlet that the photo was, in fact, the real deal.
According to Howze, the farmer reached out to him when he found the alligator in an irrigation ditch. He claims he thought the creature would be around 10 to 11 feet long but was mindblown when he arrived at the scene along with his colleagues Graham Rhone and Owen Jenkins.
The alligator turned out to be a whopping 13-14 feet long and weighed an estimated 700 lbs.
The alligator was reportedly stuck in Lake Blackshear on the Flint River, Georgia. Howze estimated the alligator to have been stuck there for around a week, something he describes as ‘very unusual behavior’.
“We have captured quite a few alligators, but none this large,” Howze told CBS. “It was a little unnerving at first given it’s size and power, but I work with an amazingly talented group of folks and we were pretty confident we could deal with the situation.”
Although the team managed to pull the alligator out, they were forced to put him down due to poor health. Sarah Hanson, a spokesperson for the Department of National Resources in Georgia, told USA Today that the gator was of old age, in poor health, and had endured many injuries including old gun-shot wounds.
She also stated that this gator was not, however, the largest to be spotted in the area. In 2015, a 14 foot and 1-inch gator was found. Normally, this length of an alligator is rare, but in the wild, these gators can grow up to 16 feet! But how exactly do these creatures grow so large?
Turns out that it has something to do with avoiding contact with humans and hiding out most of their lives safely in the wilderness.
Although this report may make you nervous, just realize that these creatures have been co-existing with us for many centuries, and there’s no real danger to society. What do you think about this massive alligator? What would you do if you saw one in person? Let us know in the comments – and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!
