An image of an alligator taken in the United States was so large that many people thought it had been doctored. A farmer spotted the massive beast stranded in an irrigation ditch near Lake Blackshear, Georgia, with many ɪɴᴊᴜʀɪᴇs, including a gunshot ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅ to its stomach. He instantly contacted the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), who treated the animal and photographed it at the spot. ‘[The alligator] was 13 feet, four inches long, 57 inches across the chest, and we estimate his weight to be between 700 and 750 pounds,’ said Brent Howze, a wildlife scientist.
Unfortunately, the creature’s ailments could not be healed, and experts were forced to put it down. The alligator is considered to be up to 50 years old, and experts are seeking to determine its actual age. Mr. Howze had his photo taken with the alligator on a platform, and the photograph rapidly went viral, with social media users unwilling to believe it had not been edited. ‘Apparently, a lot of people believe it’s a hoax, but I can guarantee you that it’s not,’ he added. ‘I’m the one in the photo, and you can probably see I didn’t get too near to it,’ she says.
He did, however, reassure people that alligator ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄᴋs are ‘very rare,’ and that humans are not a food source for the critters. He stated that he and his family plan to swim in the water during the summer months. ‘You’re completely safe. These creatures do exist. They’ve been here for generations, coexisting with humanity for millennia, and will continue to do so,’ he added.
