Unusual Tailless Animal Resembling an Alligator Seen Crossing Road in Louisiana

A routine drive turned into a viral sensation for one Louisiana mom who stumbled upon a strangely tailless alligator making its way across Highway 23 in Plaquemines Parish. The unusual sighting quickly captured the attention of the internet, with thousands of people sharing and reacting to what many are calling a “half an alligator.”

 FROM CONFUSION TO VIRAL FAME

On May 19, Ashlyn Bartholomew had just dropped off her sons at baseball practice when something caught her eye on the road. At first, she wasn’t even sure what she was seeing.

“I wasn’t sure what I was looking at,” Bartholomew told Nola.com.
“It could’ve been an alligator, maybe a big dog—I didn’t know. I’d never seen an alligator without a tail before.”

As the creature moved clumsily across the road, clearly struggling to maintain balance without its tail, Bartholomew quickly reached for her phone and began to record the unusual sight.

“Looks Like Half an Alligator” — Social Media Buzzes

Later that day, she uploaded both a photo and a short video to Facebook, adding a note of caution for local residents:

“Y’all be careful. There’s half an alligator walking on the road.”

The post gained traction quickly. By May 28, it had gone viral—drawing thousands of shares, comments, and reactions from people across the country. Many viewers expressed a mix of curiosity and sympathy, noting how the reptile seemed to be adapting to its condition with surprising resilience.

How Does an Alligator Lose Its Tail?

The tail is essential to an alligator’s ability to move, defend itself, and swim—so how does one survive without it?

Robert Mendyk, a reptile specialist at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, shared two possible causes:

• Injury from a boat propeller, common in Louisiana’s swampy waterways

• Territorial combat with another alligator, which Mendyk believes is the more likely explanation in this case

“If that tail was lost in a fight, it was likely from another male gator with a powerful bite,” Mendyk said, offering insight into how such an injury could occur.

Remarkable Survivors of the Wild

While the sight of a tailless alligator might seem alarming, Mendyk emphasized that these animals are built for survival.

“Alligators are incredibly tough,” he explained. “The injury likely healed on its own. They have an amazing ability to recover—over time, the body seals the wound naturally.”

Though losing a tail may affect an alligator’s balance and agility—especially in water—it’s not usually life-threatening. Mendyk added that such injuries aren’t rare, especially in the wild, where clashes over territory and dominance can be intense.

In the End: A Symbol of Survival

No one can say for certain how this particular gator lost its tail—but what’s clear is its resilience. Thanks to one Louisiana mother’s curiosity and quick reaction, the world got a rare look at an alligator adapting to life without one of its most essential features.

From local roadside sighting to national interest, this unique “half-gator” has become an unlikely symbol of survival—reminding us that nature often finds a way, even when the odds aren’t ideal.