Reported on February 8th, 2017, this orange alligator was spotted in Hanahan, South Carolina. Much like the alligator of the same color that was photographed in 2011, there are a few causes that could have made this creature the color it appears. Jay Butfiloski, the Department of Natural Resources’ Alligator Program Coordinator, believed that the alligator might be this color because of where it was residing during the colder months. He said “[It] might be iron oxide that has discolored it" after it had been living in a rusty pipe. Others believe it could be because of the high amount of clay deposits in the area. However Butfiloski does not deny that this could be a new color mutation entirely.