Video: Alligator Tries to Eat Game Camera

By Tim Binnall

A game camera monitoring alligators in Oklahoma captured footage of the wild moment when one of the creatures actually attempted to eat the device. The odd scene (seen above) reportedly unfolded in mid-April in a remote swamp where the reptiles are known to reside. For the past two years, researchers have had a game camera at the location so that they can study the animals and, in this particular instance, they were astounded by what they saw. "I have been documenting alligator behavior using game cameras for about five years," biologist Dr. Jared Wood said, "and I have never witnessed this behavior."

Looking back on when he first saw the footage, the scientist indicated that he was "shocked and amused" by the somewhat unsettling sight of the creature chomping down on the device. "Honestly, I have no idea why this alligator would attack the camera," Wood conceded, "but you better believe I’m going to do my best to find out why." The researcher's amazement was echoed by his colleague Robert Bastarache, who shared the footage on Facebook and marveled that "this is something we have not ever seen before in our years of gator cams." Fortunately, as one may have surmised since the video was posted online, the device managed to survive its encounter with the seemingly hungry creature.

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