11-Foot Alligator Bites, Flings Snapping Turtle Like A Rag Doll In North Carolina Swamp, Video Shows

A vicious battle between a snapping turtle and an alligator in a North Carolina swamp was caught on camera. The incident took place at the Swamp Park near Ocean Isle Beach on Friday (May 29).

A 24-seconds video of the incident uploaded to Facebook showed the 11-foot gator biting the turtle and flinging it like a rag doll. The park also posted photos of the gator holding the dead turtle in its mouth and captioned it “I guess he was tired of getting snapped at.” Some Facebook users said the gator appeared as if it was grinning.

“Heh, the first picture looks like the big guy is all too happy with himself with that grin,” a user commented.

“Likely the turtle was swimming in the pond and nipped at the gator. Didn’t end well. The gators are still in their spring feisty state. You can hear the gator bellowing (in the video). Very cool," park officials told McClatchy News.

Snapping turtles are known to aggressively bite things, however, this time it picked the wrong victim. According to a report by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, snapping turtles grow up to 20 inches in length and 35 pounds.

“Large snappers can be very dangerous if handled carelessly; their powerful, sharp-edged jaws can inflict considerable injury upon a carelessly placed hand or foot. When closely approached on land, a snapping turtle often elevates its hindquarters, gapes its jaws and then suddenly lunges with a snakelike strike at the offending object,” the commission said.

Meanwhile, the park’s official website stated that the alligator sanctuary houses 10 American alligators, most of which were confiscated from humans. Other wild animals wander too close to the swamp and end up eaten by the gators.

The incident comes days after a Florida homeowner was left baffled after she found two alligators fighting outside the front door. Susan Geshel heard a pounding on the door and went on to find two alligators fighting outside her home. The gators were on the property for about 20 minutes following which one crossed the street to a neighbor's house and the other allegedly went to a nearby pond. The homeowner told local media that the gators “made a mess on the front door.” Both of them were about seven feet in length. A video of the incident showed one gator clamping its jaws on the other’s body before pinning it on the wall.