Tailless alligator misidentified as big dog in Louisiana, US
A tailless alligator was recently seen crawling across a road in southern Louisiana, United States (US), with a passerby even mistaking it for a big dog.
The bizarre sight quickly went viral online, sparking widespread discussion.
Family encounters animal wandering across road
According to the science website IFLScience, local resident Ashlyn Bartholomew was driving her kids home from baseball practice last Tuesday (20 May) when she spotted a massive tailless creature crossing the road.
Source: Ashlyn Bartholomew on Facebook
At first, she thought it was a big dog, but upon closer inspection, she realised it was a tailless alligator. Ms Bartholomew immediately took to Facebook to warn others:
Y’all be careful; there’s a half-alligator walking on the road!
Netizens shocked by tailless alligator
The post quickly went viral, attracting a mix of shocked and humorous reactions.
One woman was amused by the fact that the animal had no tail.
Source: Facebook
She also added that she felt bad for the reptile, claiming it probably gets mocked by friends for its condition.
Source: Facebook
However, some expressed concerns, with one saying something bigger must have eaten its tail.
Source: Facebook
Might have lost its tail due to boat propeller injury or territorial fight
Mr Robert Mendyk, a reptile expert from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, explained that the alligator may have lost its tail due to a boat propeller injury or, more commonly, from a territorial fight with a larger alligator.
Source: Ashlyn Bartholomew on Facebook
He noted that American alligators are territorial animals that often engage in violent battles over mates, and it is not uncommon for them to lose limbs in the process.
Mr Mendyk shared that the wound would eventually close and heal owing to its incredible regenerative and self-healing abilities.
In many cases, losing a tail is not necessarily fatal for such resilient creatures.
Expert says wound will heal itself & animal will adapt its hunting strategy
According to IFLScience, many reptiles — such as chameleons and geckos — can regenerate lost tails, but the regrown limbs are typically not as structurally complete as the originals.
In 2020, scientists discovered that American alligators are the largest known animals capable of regrowing lost limbs. However, not every injury leads to full regeneration. In this case, the wound appears to have healed into a short stump.
Mr Mendyk pointed out that while the alligator’s ability to swim might be hampered with the loss of its tail, he believes the animal has adapted to the injury.
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Featured images adapted from Ashlyn Bartholomew on Facebook.
