A golf resort in South Carolina posted a photo of a man on the golf course dangerously grabbing the tail of an alligator while another man took his picture.
The Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort shared the image on Facebook “in hopes that the violators will be found, not to encourage this behavior.”
“Fripp Island Resort would like to remind all of our residents, guests, and visitors that Fripp is a wildlife habitat,” the post read. “Harassment, enticement, or feeding of wildlife is both illegal and dangerous.”
The post also revealed that the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was investigating the incident.
The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., reported on the posted photo and subsequently updated its story with the information that the man in the photo had been identified.
From The State:
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources has identified the man in the photo and he will be charged with molesting an alligator, according to spokesperson David Lucas. Molesting an alligator is a misdemeanor a charge and carries a fine between $100 to $150 or 30 days in prison. “It’s against the law and this guy is going to pay a pretty hefty price,” Lucas said. “But the safety issue is so much more serious than that. You could lose your life.”
The man was extremely lucky the alligator did not attack, as one did in 2013.
In that incident, a golfer at Ocean Creek Golf Course on Fripp Island had his arm bitten off when he leaned down at the edge of a lagoon to pick up his ball and was attacked by a 400-pound alligator. The Ohio man received a confidential settlement, according to The State.