The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is looking for someone who shot an 11-foot alligator illegally after a hiker discovered the dead gator at the Walton Ranch Preserve in Sarasota County.
The said incident happened after Florida extended the alligator hunting in the state to 24 hours, as Science Times recently reported.
Alligator Allegedly Shot Dead in Head in Florida
Spokesperson Adam Brown told The Sun North Point that officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) were in the area on Wednesday when they discovered the body of an 11-foot alligator that had died from an apparent gunshot wound.
Officers will look into the shot he claimed was prohibited on public land. Authorities, according to Brown, will provide an update as soon as it is available.
Sean Riley, a North Port resident, strolled through a field with a friend when he came across the alligator, which had been shot in the soft region of its head.
Riley claimed he first saw this alligator in the preserve over three years ago. The gator, Riley said, was a male with a mate and seven babies in a neighboring pond.
The Walton Ranch Preserve is a 3,760-acre property with various hiking routes studded with ponds and marshy regions. It is located north of Myakkahatchee Creek Park and east of the T. Mabry Carlton Memorial Reserve, and it's been open to the public since 2015. The address of the entry is 7020 Toledo Blade Blvd.
FWC police took the gator's remains Wednesday. The conservation commission is pursuing a criminal investigation into its death, Fox4Now reported.
Alligators in Florida
Florida has roughly 1.3 million alligators. The Endangered Species Act protects alligators in the United States, according to FWC, Herald-Tribune reported.
Alligator harvest occurs from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1 every year. Hunters must secure a permit to legally hunt these predators. The unlawful killing of an alligator is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine, Fox4Now noted.
In Florida, alligators are considered a conservation success story. In 1967, they were included on the federal endangered species list. Conservation efforts helped the population recover, and they were taken off the endangered species list in 1987.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligator courting begins in early April, with the formal mating season taking place in May and June. Female alligators lay their eggs in late June or early July, and the eggs hatch in August or September each year.
Alligators become more active during the summer months, when temperatures are between 82 and 92 degrees. The reptiles are most active between dark and sunrise, according to wildlife experts.
The FWC's Wildlife Alert Hotline, 888-404-3922, can be used to report potential resource violations. Callers can stay anonymous and qualify for a reward.
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