Okefenokee Photography by William Wise. A nature photo journal exploration of Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp, the Land of Trembling Earth, one of the largest blackwater swamps in North America. The alligators, birds, snakes and wildlife of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Stephen C Foster State Park. -- "What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at Your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations." Psalms 104 The Message American Alligator with fish hook stuck in eye. Fishing tackle and fishing line pollution poses a threat to wildlife. Aquatic wildlife becomes entangled or injured. Photographed Okefenokee Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Georgia, USA. `Sophie` is the resident alligator at the Stephen C Foster State Park in Georgia and was injured in late 2020. For many years now, our first happy gesture upon arriving and leaving the Okefenokee Swamp is to say ‘hello’ to “Sophie”, the resident alligator that inhabits the boat bay at the Stephen C Foster campground. But in 2021, our joy at seeing her quickly turned to sadness, and a bit of outrage. Sophie had suffered a horrible injury.
No doubt, a boater failed to pull in their gear before entering the small bay. A large hook, with a length of line still attached, had penetrated Sophie’s eye and caused considerable damage. I have nothing against fishing, but poor practices and lazily discarded tackle can cause serious problems for wildlife. Waterfowl are often entangled in lines causing lacerations, feather damage and death. Turtles often swallow hooks or get them caught in their beaks. Hooks left in released fish can be ingested by other wildlife causing internal bleeding. To be sure that other alligators don’t suffer like “Sophie”, be sure to clean up all hooks, lures and line. For more information and tips, see https://www.wildlifecenter.org/fishing-tackle-threats-wildlife
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