Heartwarming Video Shows Three-Legged Mother Alligator Caring For Her Newborn Babies

A three-legged alligator mother was seen caring for her babies by building them a nest and carrying them to the water.

Owen Lauer, the owner of Living With Gators, uploaded a video that shows alligators’ true resilience. After 69 days, a gator mother with just three legs hatched her nest and carried them to the edge of the water.

“I got to witness this incredible moment where momma gator hatched her nest & carried her babies in her mouth to the water’s edge,” Lauer captioned a Facebook post.

“She created this big nest with sticks, twigs, etc. & is now protecting her babies with her life with just 3 limbs.”

“If this doesn’t show you how incredibly fascinating & resilient these creatures are, I don’t know what will. They’re totally misunderstood. Staying with their babies for up to two years after hatching shows just that. I felt so blessed to witness this.”

According to Lauer, alligators have strong maternal instincts and will protect their babies for up to two years. Mother alligators build nests and guard them against predators. They help incubate the eggs, and once the babies hatch, the mother will carry them in her mouth to shallow water, where they can stay while she hunts for food.

This beautiful story comes just weeks after a photo went viral of a dead alligator tied to the bumper of a car in Florida. Although the driver has not been identified, the incident was likely linked to the alligator hunting season, which runs from August 15 to November 1 in Florida.

Unfortunately, transporting an alligator on the back of a vehicle is entirely legal, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The state issues 7,000 alligator hunting permits each year to help ‘control’ the population.
The blatant disregard for life is saddening and shows just how little respect is given to these creatures. Like any animal, they are just trying to survive and will leave humans alone if they are left alone.

This article by Hailey Kanowsky was first published by OneGreenPlanet on 19 September 2022. Lead Image Source : Heiko Kiera/Shutterstock.

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