Hunters love taking to the outdoors and enjoying the rewards of a successful harvest, but some caution should be taken in consuming alligator meat. In appears alligator hunters may be exposed to mercury through the reptile’s meat. In conjunction with the limited harvest of alligators, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is issuing recommendations on the consumption of wild alligator meat.
American alligators are a long-lived species that can grow to large sizes and may accumulate significant amounts of mercury. Information on mercury in alligators harvested in South Carolina is quite limited, but their thinking is better safe than sorry. Information suggests that certain people may be at risk if consumption of alligator meat occurs. Continue reading Alligator Consumption in South Carolina