An alligator missing half of its jaw has been found in Florida.
Jerry Flynn, a licensed alligator trapper, found the unusual gator after playing a mating call at the Wekiva River on Thursday.
Mr Flynn told The Washington Post: “I’ve seen all kinds of missing parts on alligators that you could ever imagine. This by far is the most unusual I’ve ever seen.”
The alligator trapper, who was called in by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said that the reptile was malnourished and thin upon its capture.
The injured alligator is now residing in a private enclosure at Gatorland, an alligator zoo in Orlando, US, which has taken in a number of recovering reptiles.
The creature was first spotted in Florida in late August. It is not known what caused the injury, though missing top jaws are not uncommon in alligators.
Savannah Boan, a conservationist at Gatorland, said that it can occur when alligators fight each other during breeding season.
The yet unnamed female alligator “will be a great success story” and “a story of resilience”, said Ms Boan.
She told The Washington Post that she was hopeful that it would join the legion of rehabilitated gators at the zoo, including another alligator called Trapjaw who was missing its top snout.
“She’s going to have a great life,” added Ms Boan. “We’re really happy to have her here.”
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