A Jawless American Alligator Has Been Spotted in Everglades

What would you do if you lost your upper jaw? For most animals, such an injury would spell a swift end—no way to feed, fend off threats, or navigate the demands of the wild. And yet, in the murky waters of Florida’s Everglades, a jawless American alligator has defied that expectation, gliding silently through its habitat as if unaware of the biological odds stacked against it.

Spotted by renowned wildlife photographer Lucas Cottereau, the alligator is missing its entire upper jaw, exposing raw tissue and leaving only a stark lower mandible lined with teeth. It moves with uncanny ease, a living contradiction that has captivated the internet and confounded experts. How does it eat? How is it still alive? The questions are many, but one thing is clear: this reptile is a living emblem of nature’s ability to persist, adapt, and astonish.

As images of the gator continue to ripple across social media, its story offers more than viral fascination—it opens a window into the harsh realities of wild survival, the consequences of human intrusion, and the quiet resilience of a creature that should not still be standing.

A Rare and Startling Sight in the Wild

The encounter unfolded in March 2025, when French wildlife photographer Lucas Cottereau, known for documenting reptiles across the globe, spotted something highly unusual while traversing the waters of Florida’s Everglades: an American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) missing its entire upper jaw. The animal was not in captivity, nor did it show signs of recent trauma or distress. Instead, it moved calmly through the swamp, navigating land and water with an e

erie sense of normalcy.

The visual impact was immediate and jarring. In Cottereau’s video, the gator’s lower jaw—lined with sharp, evenly spaced teeth—is fully exposed, while the upper half is nothing but a stub of raw tissue. Despite its ghastly injury, the reptile appears alert and balanced, gliding and walking like any other gator. Cottereau, clearly moved by the sight, captioned the footage: “No idea how it’s managing to survive like this.”

When shared on social media, the video ignited a storm of reactions. Viewers were fascinated, horrified, and above all, curious. “How does it eat?” asked one user. “At least it can’t bite you,” quipped another. While some saw a tragic figure, others interpreted the gator as a testament to nature’s grim resilience. It wasn’t just the injury that drew attention—it was the fact that the animal was still alive and, on the surface, functioning.

Adding to the intrigue was the rarity of such a sighting. While alligators are common in Florida, spotting one with such a severe and specific injury, yet free-ranging and active, is virtually unheard of. This gator wasn’t a spectacle in a sanctuary or zoo enclosure—it was in the wild, navigating life with a disadvantage that would be unthinkable for most apex predators.

Survival Against the Odds

In the animal kingdom, an injury like the loss of an upper jaw is typically a death sentence. For an apex predator like the American alligator, whose feeding mechanism depends on the force and precision of its powerful bite, such a wound should render it helpless. Yet the jawless gator of the Everglades appears to defy this logic.

Observers noted that despite the severe injury, the alligator moved with control and confidence both on land and in water. This alone suggests a remarkable degree of adaptation. While no one has directly witnessed it feeding, its active state implies it’s somehow sustaining itself—whether by scavenging soft prey, consuming fish that can be suctioned rather than gripped, or finding alternative ways to nourish its body.

Interestingly, this isn’t the only known case of such survival. In Orlando, a rescued alligator named “Jawlene” made headlines for her own upper-jaw amputation, believed to be caused by a boat propeller or hunting snare. Unlike the Everglades gator, Jawlene now lives under the care of wildlife experts at Gatorland. Staff report that her condition has stabilized and she’s learned to feed herself, managing to consume small prey like mice on her own. “From the image I was provided, the alligator appears to have good body weight, and the injury healed over,” said wildlife rehabilitator Kim Titterington. However, he added, “continued survivability in the wild is slim.”

The jawless alligator in the Everglades, then, may be an outlier—a rare example of instinct and biological tenacity working in harmony to preserve life under extraordinary circumstances. It’s possible the gator sustained the injury long ago and has since healed, adapting its behavior to survive. Alligators are known for their resilience; their slow metabolism allows them to survive long periods without food, and they are opportunistic feeders capable of adjusting their diets based on what’s available.

Human Impact and Ethical Questions

While nature is full of brutal encounters—predator fights, territorial battles, and environmental hazards—injuries as severe and surgically clean as a missing upper jaw often signal something more human in origin. In both the Everglades and the case of Jawlene in Orlando, questions have emerged around how such trauma occurred, and whether human activity played a role.

Wildlife experts have floated several possibilities. One common theory is injury by boat propeller, a known hazard in Florida’s waterways where human recreation and wildlife habitats frequently intersect. Propeller strikes can result in sharp, clean cuts—like the one seen in Jawlene’s case—suggesting that the reptile may have been unintentionally maimed by a passing boat. Similarly, hunting snares and illegal traps used by poachers can cause devastating injuries when an animal struggles to break free, sometimes leading to mutilation rather than death.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has documented cases of alligators found with missing limbs, tails, and even taped mouths—a practice used by poachers or misguided individuals trying to “manage” gators near residential areas. In one recent incident, an alligator was discovered with its snout tightly taped shut for what was believed to be over a month, a condition that would have left it unable to eat or regulate temperature through open-mouth basking, a vital behavior in reptiles.

Even in death, the signs of possible human interference linger. In Cape Coral, a headless, tailless alligator was found floating belly-up near a pontoon boat. Local residents and authorities were left speculating whether the gruesome find was the result of poaching or an accidental entrapment beneath a watercraft. “I hope that whoever did it, if it was poached, they get caught,” one resident told CBS News, voicing a sentiment echoed by many Floridians concerned about wildlife welfare.

These events point to a sobering reality: in many cases, the injuries wildlife sustain are not natural at all. They are collateral damage from human intrusion—accidental or otherwise—into shrinking habitats. As development continues to encroach on wetlands and waterways, human-alligator encounters are becoming more frequent, and with them, ethical dilemmas about when and how to intervene.

The Role of Rescue and Rehabilitation

When wild animals suffer injuries that compromise their ability to survive, human intervention becomes a complex ethical and logistical decision. In cases like that of the Everglades jawless alligator—still free-ranging and active—intervention may not be feasible or even necessary. But when the injury is fresh, infection risks are high, or the animal is clearly struggling, wildlife rescue efforts can mean the difference between suffering and a second chance.

The story of “Jawlene,” the jawless alligator now living at Gatorland in Orlando, offers a powerful example of what rehabilitation can look like for reptiles. First spotted in late summer 2023 with her upper jaw completely torn off below the eyes, Jawlene quickly drew public attention and concern. Wildlife rehabilitators, responding to calls for help, located her, confirmed the severity of her injury, and safely transported her to the park. There, staff provided veterinary care and a secure environment where she could begin recovery.

Despite the disfigurement, Jawlene began to eat on her own—reportedly managing to swallow two mice in a single day, a remarkable feat for a reptile missing half its mouth. “She is an absolute treasure,” said Gatorland CEO Mark McHugh, reflecting on the animal’s growing global following. Her case is a rare success story in the field of reptile rehabilitation, where outcomes are far from guaranteed.

Rehabilitating large reptiles like alligators poses unique challenges. Unlike mammals, reptiles can mask injury and stress for extended periods, making it difficult to assess their true condition. They require specific thermal environments for healing and feeding and often need months of close observation before being deemed stable. And for animals like Jawlene, release back into the wild may never be an option—permanent disfigurement can leave them vulnerable to predators or unable to feed effectively without human assistance.

Facilities like Gatorland and licensed wildlife rehabilitation centers serve as vital safety nets in these situations. They not only provide medical treatment but also educate the public about coexisting with native wildlife and recognizing when intervention is appropriate. Still, these facilities operate with limited resources and face tough decisions about which animals can be saved—and which cannot.

In the case of the Everglades gator, there’s been no confirmed rescue attempt, and given its apparent health and natural behavior, experts may be choosing to monitor rather than intervene. But its story underscores the value of having rescue infrastructure in place—so that when animals like Jawlene are found in distress, they don’t face the wild alone.

What This Gator Teaches Us

In a world where survival often hinges on strength, speed, and symmetry, a jawless alligator should not stand a chance. And yet, the Everglades gator persists—an anomaly, a marvel, and a living metaphor for resilience. Its story is more than a viral curiosity; it is a window into the quiet power of adaptation, and a reminder that life rarely conforms to expectation.

Biologically, the odds are stacked against such a creature. Alligators are ambush predators, their jaw strength a defining evolutionary trait. To lose that mechanism—and still survive—is akin to a cheetah running without speed or an eagle flying without wings. But the jawless alligator doesn’t just survive; it navigates the wild with the same silent authority as its uninjured kin, confounding observers and challenging what we think we know about capability and endurance.

There’s a symbolic potency in its continued existence. In a time when ecosystems are under strain and the effects of human encroachment ripple through every swamp, river, and forest, stories like this one strike a deeper chord. They speak to the fragility of life—but also its stubborn will to go on.

Jawlene, too, embodies that spirit in a different setting—rescued, named, and nurtured by humans. Her journey underscores another form of resilience: one supported by compassion and infrastructure. Both gators, wild and rehabilitated, reveal that survival isn’t always about perfection. Sometimes, it’s about persistence, adaptation, and the unexpected allies that make it possible.

As humans, we often see ourselves as separate from the wild. But when we look at an animal that should not be standing, let alone swimming, and yet is—maybe we’re reminded of something familiar. That healing doesn’t always mean restoration. That scars don’t cancel strength. That life, in its rawest form, finds a way.

In witnessing this jawless alligator, we’re not just seeing a biological anomaly. We’re seeing nature’s grit in motion. And perhaps, if we’re paying attention, a lesson about our own capacity to endure, adapt, and care.