Giant alligator caught on camera is a real deal

Living in the world of social media where we daily come across tons of fake videos and hoaxes, sometimes it is hard to know whether the viral video is actually a real thing or a prank by internet pranksters.

So, when a video of a massive alligator walking through one of Polk County Discovery Center’s reserves in Florida hit the internet, many people were skeptical, calling it a hoax. But according to the experts, the video is real!

Yes, it was one of the American alligators (alligator mississippiensis) which can really be that gigantic.

According to wildlife ecologist and conservation biologist David A. Steen, “the largest published size record for the American alligator is a 14 ft gator which was killed in Alabama in 2014”. The ecologist added that the alligator shown in the video does not look nearly as massive as the record-holder gators so, there is no reason to believe it is fake.

A curator of reptiles in LA Zoo also agrees with Steen and confirms that it’s an American alligator. He says, “The animal in the video is most certainly an American alligator, and it’s a pretty large one, probably a male”. 

Phew! So, it really is true.

This truly massive alligator was spotted casually walking across a path in Central Florida. The locals call it "Hunchback." pic.twitter.com/rBMt6JwtQ4

— CNN (@CNN) January 17, 2017