Mayor Marries an Alligator?

You read that right…

The mayor of a small fishing village in Mexico hopes his new bride will “croc” his world after tying the knot.

Victor Hugo Sosa and his cold-blooded companion sealed their marriage with a kiss as part of a centuries-old ritual to secure nature’s abundance in San Pedro Huamelula.

The seven-year-old reptile, referred to as Little Princess, had her snout tied shut in a bid to avoid unwanted snapping.  

She is believed to be a deity representing mother earth and the marriage is said to symbolize the joining of human with the divine.

The ritual is thought to date back centuries to pre-Hispanic times among Chontal and Huave indigenous communities in Oaxaca state, south-west Mexico.

Traditional music rang out as revelers danced during the ceremony on Thursday.

‘We ask nature for enough rain, for enough food, that we have fish in the river,’ Sosa said. 

Oaxaca is home to many indigenous groups who are determined to preserve their languages and traditions.

The ritual in San Pedro Huamelula also acknowledges Catholic spirituality and involves dressing an alligator or caiman in a white wedding dress.

Locals carried the bride in their arms through village streets as men fanned it with their hats.

‘It gives me so much happiness and makes me proud of my roots, said Elia Edith Aguilar, known as the godmother who organized the wedding.  

‘It’s a very beautiful tradition.’ 

She described feeling ‘privileged’ to carry out the ceremony – and admitted spending a lot of time considering the bride’s outfit.

In April a woman revealed how she married her cat to stop heartless landlords forcing her to give up her beloved pet.

This Morning raised eyebrows after featuring the wedding of a golden retriever and his owner, who gave up on men after four failed engagements.

Seems like animal abuse to us… what do you think?