A pair of South Carolina men who poured beer down the throat of a young alligator now face harassment charges.

Joseph Andrew Floyd Jr., 20, and Zachary Lloyd Brown, 21, told law enforcement officers they nabbed the alligator Wednesday as it crossed a dirt road a few miles north of Savannah, Ga., in the southeast part of South Carolina.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) said the men told an officer they poured beer down the animal's mouth while posting photos on social media. They then released the alligator into a pond.

The agency launched an investigation after several people alerted the agency about the incident.

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In one photo featured on the agency's website, a man is seen holding the alligator by the throat while a can of Busch beer appears near the alligator's mouth. The text on screen reads, "Gator shotgun." In another photo on the agency's Twitter account, beer is seen dripping into the alligator's mouth, which is being held open by one of the men.

Alligators, usually associated with Florida, are abundant in South Carolina, said SCDNR spokeswoman Kyndel McConchie.

"Alligators are protected under state law and even federal law where they are still listed as threatened solely due to their similarity of appearance to other endangered crocodilians worldwide," said Jay Butfiloski, alligator program coordinator at SCDNR.

Floyd and Brown both face a misdemeanor charge of harassing wildlife. They face a maximum fine of $300.

"This case is a good example of why we strive to educate people about wildlife in hopes that they will respect it," said SCDNR 1st Sgt. Earl Pope.

Follow Sean Rossman on Twitter: @SeanRossman