Watch your litter: Florida gator caught eating plastic at wildlife refuge
A beautiful Sunday at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida turned sour when an alligator was caught on video swallowing what appears to be a large plastic item with a rope attached.
Nearby resident Corine Samwel captured the incident on her phone. The alligator ambles up a rocky beach at the refuge, then turns toward the litter. After swallowing the debris, the alligator begins walking away but keeps stepping on a rope now trailing from its mouth.
Samwel reported that the gator went back to the water with the rope still hanging from its mouth.
Park officials confirmed Monday that the gator was resting at the refuge. Park staff was scheduled to go to the area to do a sweep and see if any alligators are still around that “appear distressed.”
Refuge ranger Robin Will said that markings on the gator's tail and its size may make it possible to identify from the video.
"We always try to promote the refuge as an oasis for wildlife and that we're just the visitors," Will said. "If we could respect their homes and pack up all of our trash, then hopefully we don't have to see things like alligators eating bags."
She added that refuge volunteers were "devastated" when they saw the video of the plastic-munching alligator since "our volunteers are pretty aggressive about picking up trash."
"We know gators digest turtle shells and bones, so it may be possible that he's able to digest it," she said.
Sandy Beck of a Florida wildlife association wrote underneath Samwel's videos on Facebook that "it would be near impossible to undo this particular wrong, but Corine’s photos and videos would make a poignant public awareness campaign." She added that she was sharing the videos through St. Francis's page.
Samwel wrote on Facebook that she was “heartbroken” by the event.
“I am trying to get the story out and am contacting anyone who may be able to help,” she wrote.
Follow CD Davidson-Hiers on Twitter @DavidsonHiers.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Watch your litter: Florida gator caught eating plastic at wildlife refuge
