Alligator missing upper jaw rescued in Florida

SANFORD, Fla. – A young alligator missing most of its upper jaw was rescued Thursday evening in Seminole County after photos of the injured animal circulated on social media.

The gator initially evaded capture when it was first spotted last week at Wilson’s Landing in Sanford, yet trappers working with the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program were since able to catch the smaller reptile, according to Katrina Shadix, executive director at Bear Warriors United.

Shadix had maintained several social media posts updating the search effort, capping them with a “spectacular update” that the gator had been caught, was safely resting and would be transported Friday to a care facility.

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Shadix said she got the good news via text while sitting in a Seminole County Animal Services board meeting, there to speak out against the use of snare traps which she believes could be to blame for the alligator’s appearance.

“Hopefully this will help the poor lil gator get help and shine a light on the horrors of snare traps,” Shadix said in one of the posts. “Snares are being used throughout Florida, the US and the world. I have an ongoing six-year battle with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission to ban snares, steel jaw traps and conibear traps.”

The FWC at the time of this report has not commented on the possibility that an as yet legal trap was responsible for the gator’s injuries.

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