New York Post
Warning: Images included in this story may be disturbing to some readers
A man was recently playing a game of golf when he encountered an alligator that had a turtle trapped in its jaws.
Casey Yabrough was on the 14th hole at a golf course in Naples, Florida, when he heard something unexpected.
“We heard a loud sound, like a gun went off,” Yarbrough told FOX 35 on Monday.
It wasn’t until he approached the next hole that he learned the source of the sound.
Yarbrough saw what looked like a 14-foot-long alligator with something large in its mouth, Fox 35 reported.
The massive alligator had its jaws around a large turtle that Yarbrough estimated to weigh about 50 pounds, according to the station.
Yarbrough said that the rattling he heard was the sound of the alligators’ jaws cracking through the turtle’s shell.
Yarbrough was apparently stunned after witnessing this event.
“I’ve been playing golf for almost 50 years and have never seen anything like this before,” he told Fox 35.
An alligator making a meal out of a turtle is not out of the ordinary, because turtles are common prey for large reptiles to feed on, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC).
Adult alligators are known for being “opportunistic feeders,” according to the FWC’s website.
They will eat turtles, snakes, small mammals, birds, fish and sometimes smaller alligators.
A woman in Florida recently captured several images of a large alligator devouring a smaller version of itself.
She said the moment left her “creeped out,” but she went on with her run, being sure to warn others about the gator that was lurking around the bend.
The FWC has a variety of safety tools and tips on its website for those who find themselves in the presence of a nuisance alligator.
“Alligators less than 4 feet in length are not large enough to be dangerous to people or pets, unless handled,” says the FWC’s website.
“You should never handle an alligator, even a small one, because alligator bites can result in serious infection and it’s illegal.”
It also says, “If there’s an alligator under 4 feet in your swimming pool, on your porch or in a similar situation, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).”
Fox News Digital reached out to the FWC and Casey Yarbrough for comment.
This was originally published on The New York Post
