Golf course gator named King Arthur loses his crown

March 27 (UPI) -- A South Carolina golf course alligator named King Arthur has lost his crown after wildlife rescuers became concerned the tomato cage could put his life at risk.

The 11-foot gator was nicknamed King Arthur at Fripp Island Golf & Beach Resort due to the crown-like tomato cage surrounding its head, and University of Georgia's Coastal Ecology Lab was consulted to assist the reptile.

"In situations like this, it is very tempting to want to jump in and immediately help by removing whatever is stuck on the animal," the lab said in a Facebook post. "That is not always the best thing to do, as oftentimes the animal can get free of whatever it is stuck in on its own."

Officials monitored King Arthur for two days and determined that while he was able to break off the part of cage that surrounded his head, there was still a piece wrapped tightly around his neck.

"We waited another couple of days, but it did not seem like he had made any more progress, and other things were starting to get caught in the cage," officials wrote.

The wildlife experts said they decided to become more directly involved out of fears that the metal could snag on something underwater and cause King Arthur to drown.

The lab said the capture was "a bit tricky" since the cage was located where rescuers would normally snare the gator, but after a few tries they were able to secure him and remove the rest of the tomato cage.

"Now that he is free, he can safely resume living his best alligator life," the post said.

Officials speculated the tomato cage may have washed into a pipe and ended up around King Arthur when he attempted to travel through the pipe.

"This is an excellent example of why it is so important to properly dispose of your trash," officials wrote.

The resort thanked the Coastal Ecology Lab team in a Facebook post.

"We are so thankful to our Head Naturalist, Colleen Goff, and the UGA Coastal Ecology Lab for helping our beloved King Arthur," the post said.