All the guy wanted was a nice alligator belt, but Benjamin Hodges of Tampa, FL is still looking at 60 days in the slammer and a fine of up to $500 for pulling a dead alligator out of the Hillsborough River on Sunday and taking it home in a shopping cart. An anonymous caller ratted him out to the law who showed up right as he started to cut open the carcass on his lawn.

In practice I can’t see how what he did is really all that bad. How is taking an already-dead animal out of the drink and carving it up in the name of fashion harming its species in any way?

On the other hand, what is to stop poachers and other greedy men of weak moral turpitude from trapping and killing alligators and other endangered animals of valuable skins, etc., claiming, “it was dead when I found it, officer, ” if examples aren’t made. I feel bad for Mr. Hodges, who had to cough up $2000 bail money, but that’s the way it goes. Examples must be made, I guess.

But seriously, let’s say a gator up and dies in your back yard. You know it isn’t going to affect the population one way or the other if you carve the sucker up and make a voodoo necklace of its teeth, etc. You have my blessing, just make sure your neighbors aren’t nosy dicks first.

Need for Belt No Defense in Gator Bust [ap.org]

(image: myfwc.com)