8-foot gator in Georgia swamp ‘forced out’ of territory by bigger males looking for mates

FOLKSTON, Ga. — It’s alligator mating season and thanks to GPS satellite tags, researchers are seeing how it can change gator behavior first-hand.

The University of Georgia’s Coastal Ecology Lab tagged an 8-foot male alligator nearly a year ago.

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In that time, he hadn’t ventured farther than half a mile from the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge entrance in Charlton County, Georgia.

This changed recently as new satellite pings showed him three miles away.

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Researchers say he was likely pushed out by larger males searching for mates.

If you want to learn more about gators, consider sponsoring a tag supporting conservation research.

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