Alligator takes on shark in South Carolina waters

July 12 (UPI) -- A South Carolina woman captured video of an unusual aquatic battle that ended with an alligator making a meal of a shark.

Kristen Poillon of Hilton Head captured video of the alligator, dubbed "Charlie" by locals, chomping down on a bonnethead shark in Skull Creek.

Poillon said Charlie has become a frequent visitor to the area, despite alligators normally steering clear of saltwater.

"He doesn't seem aggressive," she told the Hilton Head Island Packet. "He mostly shows up when the fishing charter boats start back to their season because the eating is good for him off the dock when they clean the fish."

A study published in Current Biology magazine indicates such encounters could soon be on the rise as American alligators gain tolerance to saltwater and are spotted more frequently on ocean beaches.