Golfers find massive alligators locked in ‘nerve-wracking’ battle on Hardeeville course
As Matthew Proffitt and his group walked onto the 18th tee at Hilton Head Lakes golf course, they spotted something unusual in the distance.
Upon closer inspection, Proffitt and his playing partners saw two large alligators tussling in the fairway. The reptiles had locked jaws, with one’s bite appearing to cover at least one eye of the other as their tails whipped back and forth along the grass.
Proffitt was only feet away and captured the interaction on video.
“We were pretty sure they wouldn’t mess with us, because they were locked in on each other,” said Proffitt, a member of the professional staff at the Hardeeville club. “But it was pretty nerve-wracking seeing that.”
The group moved along and left the alligators to their dispute. Proffitt said from what he heard from others on the course, the gators’ struggle continued for more than two hours, with each eventually going on their way.
While reports of alligators attacking people are rare, South Carolina has seen a few cases in recent years.
A 57-year-old woman was killed on Kiawah Island earlier this month after an alligator attacked her near a pond at a friend’s house.
A woman was killed in 2018 when an alligator pulled her and her dog into the water in Sea Pines on Hilton Head Island.
The animals are a common sight in Beaufort County along ponds and lakes on golf courses and in housing developments. Alligators are cold-blooded and bask in the sun to regulate body temperature.
“We see an alligator pretty much every day,” Proffitt said. “But that is the first time we’ve seen anything like that.”
They are much more active during mating season from April through June. Females build nests, and males are on the move from one body of water to the next on courting trips.
Male and female alligators will fight over territory during mating season, said Morgan Hart, the alligator program biologist with S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
“Male alligators will also growl, threat display, and even fight to secure breeding rights,” she said in an emailed statement. “It is more common to see alligators interact in the water than on land, since they feel safest in the water.”
ALLIGATOR SAFETY
- Here are some tips for alligator mating season:
- Scan the edges of lagoons for gator activity: Steer clear, no matter how big the alligator.
- Never, ever feed an alligator: Alligators are more likely to approach people if they’ve been fed before, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
- Remember that while alligators are mostly freshwater animals, they can survive in salt or brackish water for several hours or even days, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This story was originally published May 22, 2020 at 10:52 AM.
