They’re back again! Alligator spotted floating in Hilton Head harbor

An alligator was spotted Friday evening floating in the saltwater harbor of Hilton Head Island’s Harbour Town — and gators have been seen out of their usual habitat more often in recent months.

Laura Laboon was at Harbour Town with her family when she spotted what she described as a 10- to 12-foot alligator floating in the harbor.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen one in saltwater,” Laboon said. “I was worried about how he was going to get out.”

Laboon says her family comes from Pittsburgh to Hilton Head to stay in Sea Pines every year. They’ve been coming since 1987, and she loves to spot gators during each visit.

She isn’t the only one who has spotted the freshwater reptiles in saltwater.

In June, an alligator was seen chowing down on fish in the saltwater outside of Skull Creek Dockside restaurant. Just last month, a gator named “Charlie” was seen eating a bonnethead shark while swimming through Skull Creek — a saltwater river.

Alligators lack sufficient salt glands to enable them to thrive in saltwater, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. This usually keeps them out of saltwater, aside from brief ventures. But scientists say that though it is uncommon to spot alligators in saltwater, it’s happening more often.

A study published earlier this year revealed that alligators are gaining greater tolerance for saltwater.

Another study found that alligators eat multiple species of sharks and stingrays, according to a Science News Magazine report.

But their lack of salt glands can cause them to become dehydrated, which can lead to stress or even death, ecologist James Nifong told the magazine.

This story was originally published August 18, 2018 at 12:19 PM.