Rescue Mission Unveils Alligator Stuck in Drain for Months in Hilton Head

In an intriguing rescue operation, a 6-foot alligator was freed after being stuck in a drainage pipe for several months in the upscale Port Royal Plantation, Hilton Head, South Carolina.

The initially discovered in October, residents of the gated community noticed its snout protruding from a metal grate, leading to concerns for its well-being as it remained trapped inside.

Matt Kraycar, the owner of the renowned Bluffton-based K&K Wildlife Services, recently stepped in to save the creature from its peculiar predicament.

Expressing his surprise, Kraycar mentioned that despite his experience, encountering an alligator in such a confined space was a first for him.

Speculations suggest that the gator may have ventured into the pipe, struggled to make a turn, and found itself unable to maneuver its way out of the obstruction, eventually getting wedged inside.

Residents, sporadically noticing the alligator’s presence in the drain over the past few months, were prompted to seek professional assistance once they confirmed its entrapment.

With adept precision, Kraycar managed to extract the alligator by removing the metal grate and employing a catchpole, a tool used for human restraint, to carefully maneuver the reptile out of the pipe.

Although the ordeal lasted about 10 minutes, Kraycar successfully liberated the gator, which appeared to be around 6 years old.

After enduring several months in the drain, the alligator showed no signs of malnourishment, deriving sustenance from small fish in the drainage water.

Observed during its dormant period, the gator seemed to have maintained its health by alternating between active and dormant phases.

Following its release approximately 50 yards away from the drain, the gator cautiously retreated towards the Hilton Head lagoon under Kraycar’s watchful eye.

Reflecting on the incident, Kraycar mentioned that his wildlife services company annually rescues about one gator from local drainage systems, highlighting the potential dangers posed by the interconnected water reservoirs.