Jacksonville.com: "Oscar, an alligator who has been at Okefenokee Swamp Park since it opened in 1945, has died.
Park workers found Oscar dead of natural causes Thursday in waters surrounding the park's camellia gardens, said Martin Bell, manager of the park.
Oscar was believed to be 13 feet, 7 inches long seven years ago, but after his death, the aged gator was discovered to be shorter, Bell said.
'He was 12-feet, 9 inches long. It appears he had shrunk in size a little bit. He wasn't nearly as heavy as he had once been,' Bell said.
He had previously been estimated to weigh 1,000 pounds.
When the park was being built in 1945, Oscar was a resident and already a mature alligator, Bell said. He was docile and often lay sunning on the grass and walkways just inside the entrance and gift shop.
In the past three years, Oscar had apparently lost his territorial instincts and had found himself a peaceful, secluded place in the park, Bell said.
'He'll be missed, but never forgotten,' Bell said."
2 comments:
Moving to Waycross in 1991 to teach at Ware County High School, I made a trip to "Oscar's Domain" one of my first priorities. He was not only a WHOPPER, but a gentleman, for he was good about lying out on the "little island" so that tourists could see him and photograph him.
Learning of his death was sad for me. This is certainly one Waycrossian who will miss that ole' boy!
Well, he was around for a long time, at least.
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