Headless alligator corpse with missing tail found in Cape Coral canal
A deceased alligator missing a head and tail was found floating in a Cape Coral canal on Thursday.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to the report of the lifeless alligator which was apparently the victim of either an illegal poaching or an illegal harvesting.
In Florida, it is illegal to hunt, harvest or possess an alligator outside of hunting season (which requires a permit and which runs from Aug. 15 to Nov. 1). It is also illegal to dispose of the body of an alligator in a canal.
FWC spokesperson Bradley Johnson confirmed that the agency found the alligator in a Cape canal Thursday.
“An FWC officer responded to the scene to investigate the incident. This is currently still an active investigation and we do not have any leads at this time. It is worth noting that it is illegal to harvest or possess an alligator outside of alligator hunting season,” Johnson said.
The alligator was believed to have been spotted off Coronado Parkway, according to a media report posted online Thursday.
The FWC encourages the public to report any wildlife violations by downloading the FWC Wildlife Alert app, calling the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC(888-404-3922) or submitting a tip online at MyFWC.com/WildlifeAlert.