Years ago we found a snapper down back by the horses.. we just about died, it was HUGE... huge, huge.. we wheel barrow-ed(which it almost filled entirely) it back to the river .. thank goodness we have never seen another.. it was obviously lost.. i shudder to even think the damage it could have...
I agree, with those sorts of predators it'll only be a matter of time before something else happens. I am sorry you lost one. Thankfully, we have no gators here and the river is too far for my birds to go to let alone even know it exists.