SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) — Authorities in central Florida are investigating the decapitation of an alligator in Sarasota, Florida.

Kimberly Kukich said in a Facebook post she was driving to see her parents when she came across the corpse of an alligator missing its head.

Kukich believes the animal was decapitated with a chainsaw. In a separate Facebook post, she said she believes the gator was a trophy kill for the head.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told WFLA that they do not know who is responsible for the act, but whoever it is can face serious charges.

FWC spokesperson Brian Norris said if a gator is harvested legally, the person must have a proper hunting permit and must harvest according to the proper rules.

“In this case, it appears that the alligator was either hit by a vehicle or killed illegally. Therefore, the removal of the head and possession of it would not be legal,” Norris told the station.

If you have any information on this incident, call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert hotline at 1-888-404-3922.

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