An alligator is recovering at a sanctuary, found in the wild with electrical tape around its mouth. Signs suggest the act may have been intentional, though law enforcement has yet to start a full investigation.

The four-foot female alligator was spotted from afar at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco on Christmas Eve, according to Superintendent Javier De Leon. It was later sighted again this week, initiating the rescue by a team that works at South Padre Island Birding, Nature and Alligator Sanctuary.

Jake Reinbolt, the alligator specialist with the sanctuary, paddled out to the refuge's Alligator Lake, snatching the alligator out of the water, and then brought it on land to remove the tape.

After pulling her in, he noticed sores, missing teeth, and indentations around the reptile's face caused by the tape.

"[I] pulled her in and immediately noticed how emaciated she was," said Reinbolt. "You could see that when the tape was on her mouth how it was misforming her jaw around that."

Beyond that, he noticed wood chips and foreign material lodged inside the gator's mouth. It's a sign he believes shows someone had ill intent.

Reinbolt said he removed an entire roll of duct tape. Based on the gator's state, he estimates it was tied up for three to six months.

"There were signs of growth and the fact that her skull was deformed underneath that tape, it's been long enough for her to grow since it was initially put on," said Reinbolt.

Lucky for the gator, the species is uniquely adapted to go for long periods without eating, though the ordeal affected her growth and overall health. She is recovering in a backroom at the sanctuary.

"They're unbelievably resilient animals," he said.

She's expected to live, he said.

Texas Game Wardens are conducting a preliminary investigation to determine if a crime was committed, said Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson Jen Sughert. That would determine if a criminal investigation is warranted.