During a holiday party at the Everglades Alligator Farm last year, employee and budding wildlife photographer Mario Aldecoa was setting up his camera to capture the glowing eyes of the local residents. It wasn't long after he mounted his Canon DSLR to a tripod when, in a flash, one of the gators grabbed the whole thing as if it was lunch. Aldecoa waded into the swamp the next morning, just hoping to find his tripod, but everything was gone.

Eight months later, farm employees were feeding the alligators when they noticed something peculiar. Wrapped around the foot of one of the gators was Aldecoa's digital SLR.

Look what the alligator dragged in. Photo credit: Mario Aldecoa

The camera wasn't in the best of shape, as you can see above, but he was able to pry the memory card out of its compartment. Much to Aldecoa's surprise, the photos on the card had survived, including the one below, which he took right before everything was snatched out of his hands.

This was the last photo taken by Mario Aldecoa's Canon DSLR before it was snatched by am alligator.

It's safe to say that memory cards aren't designed to spend eight months in a Florida swamp, but somehow this one survived (Aldecoa hasn't disclosed the manufacturer). Aldecoa has since replaced his camera and is back taking alligator pictures again - with a lot more caution.