A local photographer stumbled across a rare wildlife sighting at the Chattahoochee River this week.
For years, locals and wildlife experts have talked about an alligator that swims in the Chattahoochee River.
Cobb County wildlife photographer Victor Webb was walking in Cochran Shoals on Wednesday afternoon when he came upon a large animal resting on the banks.
"People have been telling me about that alligator, but I never believed them," Webb told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Lo and behold, there she was laying on the sandy bank."
Webb found himself less than 30 yards away from the adult alligator.
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area told The AJC that the alligator is approximately 8 feet long and at least 13-14 years old.
"The first sighting of an American alligator in the Chattahoochee watershed occurred in 2005 at Powers Island," Ardrianna McLane, public information officer for the park, said in a statement. She said that the animal has been spotted approximately once every two years.
Credit: Photos contributed by Victor Webb
Credit: Photos contributed by Victor Webb
The park says the alligator has not acted aggressively towards humans or pets, but advises visitors to keep their distance and to not disturb the animal.
Officials note that the Chattahoochee River is "well north" of the American alligator's natural range.
The National Park Service theorizes that the alligator was accidentally or intentionally released by a pet owner. Introductions of these non-native species have "devastating consequences" to the park's ecosystem, they said.
Webb alternated between photographing the alligator and other animals for about an hour before he walked away.
Webb says his photos have been positively received after uploading them to his Facebook profile.
"I almost wish I hadn't posted the photos," Webb said, adding that he worries more attention will lead to more people disturbing the habitat.
"It was a pretty neat experience," Webb said. "Most of the time, I'm just trying to show everyone the beautiful world all around them that they seem to have, somehow, forgotten."
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