This custom-made bike, which was crafted from the skin and skull of a real alligator that was culled by authorities to keep their numbers down, has been created to raise funds for a wildlife charity.
Jim Jablon, owner of the Wildlife Rehabilitation of Hernando (WROH) in Florida, devised the GatorBike to raise funds for his centre. WROH rescues exotic pets that have been neglected or abused by their owners and either releases them back into the wild, re-homes them or cares for them on site.
He said: 'All those skins from culled gators usually get pinned up in people's yards so I thought why not put one to good use.'
The GatorBike was made by Swedish craftsman and leather expert Benny Ohrman, 60, who spent a year perfecting its scaly contours. The skin is detachable but the head is fixed permanently into the handlebars and has the speedometer and other gauges implanted into the back of the skull. The custom-made bike has a powerful Ultima engine and cost Jim £51,000 of his own money to build.
'We even gave the lower parts a slick, alligator skin paint job,' said Jim. 'It's quite a work of art. You can't ride anywhere on that thing without being stopped by people. It turns a lot of heads.' Tickets for the raffle cost $100 (£75) and can be bought at Jim's website. Only 1000 tickets are being sold and anyone from any country can enter.
Wildlife Rehabilitation of Hernando (WROH) website - www.wrohflorida.com