The drama has been unfolding behind the scenes at the Australian Reptile Park.
Steve, a 3 metre long American alligator, has quickly made his presence known since arriving at the Park last year. Living among more than 50 adult alligators, he has been working his way up through a strict and often violent hierarchy, where males constantly compete for dominance and access to females.
“This year there’s really been a shift in the dominance out there and I suspect there’s a new big boss in town, big Steve is only young but he’s going hard,” said Park Manager Billy Collett.
As Steve pushed higher up the ranks, keepers began noticing the toll it was taking. During routine feeds, he started appearing with more and more injuries, clear signs of repeated fights with other dominant males. Concerned for his wellbeing, the team made the call to step in and carry out a full health assessment.
What followed was anything but routine. As keepers entered the lagoon to capture Steve, tensions were high among the colony.
“It was actually a wild capture, all the males were worked up,” Billy said. “One of the biggest males came flying out of the water, attacking the rope, it was really difficult.”
Led by Billy, the team carefully pulled Steve from the feeding ramp and onto land. Once secured, he was restrained while a full check was carried out by the reptile team.
The extent of his injuries told the story of life inside the lagoon. A deep puncture wound marked his nose, heavy scratches lined his jaw, and his front left foot had suffered the most serious damage, with a broken toe bent out of shape and bone exposed. He was also missing a toe on another foot, while his tail showed signs of multiple recent battles.
“It’s been a massive summer with these massive gators. They’ve been punching on and if he has any major injuries we’ve gotta get him out of the lagoon and treat him over winter,” Billy said.
Despite the severity of the wounds, there was some relief for the team. There were no signs of infection, highlighting just how resilient these powerful reptiles can be.
With cooler weather approaching, timing is critical. Alligators enter a period of brumation during winter, where their metabolism slows and healing can stall. Without the right conditions, injuries like Steve’s could worsen.
“Winter is sneaking up on us so I’m really worried that if we don’t have warm enough temperatures that we’ll have to intervene and hold him in another enclosure during winter,” Billy said.
For now, Steve remains under close watch as the team monitors his recovery and decides whether further intervention will be needed.
Visitors to the Australian Reptile Park can see Steve and the rest of the colony during the daily alligator feeding at 12:30pm throughout the school holidays, where the raw intensity of the lagoon is on full display.
Watch the full video below
New ALPHA GATOR Takes Over the Lagoon | Australian Reptile Park
