An investigation is under way to determine who killed an alligator earlier this week inside St. Andrews State Park at Panama City Beach.
A visitor walking in the park Wednesday morning found the gator’s remains next to Gator Lake, a popular place to view alligators. The head and tail had been severed, but an investigator with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) estimated the gator was at least 6 feet long.
“We suspect the alligator was killed Tuesday afternoon, probably after 3 p.m. and one of the last rain showers of the day,” said FWC Investigator Gary Applewhite. “Someone probably rode by the area about that time and saw a vehicle, or people or something that aroused their suspicion. If that’s the case, we hope they’ll contact us.”
Applewhite said anyone with information is asked to call the Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-3922. A report can be filed anonymously. If an arrest is made the caller may be eligible for a reward of $25 to $1,000.