March 31 (UPI) — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation commission are investigating after large alligator was found improperly trapped and tied to a tree.
The 9-foot alligator was found tied to a tree with its mouth duct taped shut behind an apartment complex in a neighborhood in Kendall, south of Miami.
“It’s extremely dangerous. It really is,” FWC Officer Lorenzo Veloz said. “Tied to a tree is something that we don’t see every day.”
Officials believe the multiple people were involved in the operation due to the gator’s size.
“This is not a one person operation,” Veloz said. “Usually an alligator that’s nine feet long takes about two or three people to really corral, especially if it’s not tied up.”
Veloz said gators are a protected species and whoever left it tied up to a tree may face charges for harming the animal.
“Unfortunately whoever did this tied the alligator up incorrectly, causing some damage to the skin, stressing the alligator out,” he said.
The FWC successfully removed the large gator from the area and sent it to an alligator farm.
The alligator will later be released back into the wild after recovering from its injuries.
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