Current:Home > My'See ya later, alligator': Watch as Florida officials wrangle 8-foot gator from front lawn -NextGenWealth
'See ya later, alligator': Watch as Florida officials wrangle 8-foot gator from front lawn
View
Date:2025-04-15 01:20:12
Capturing an alligator is no easy feat, let alone one that's 8 feet long. But a pair of Florida deputies and a wildlife official recently made it look easy in a wrangling that was captured on video.
Lee County Sheriff's deputies lent a hand to help the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission corral what they called a "swamp puppy" that showed up uninvited to a home in a Bonita Springs, about 20 miles south of Fort Myers.
Video shows the alligator surrounded by deputies and an wildlife officer working to get the giant reptile off the front lawn.
Watch: Florida officers wrangle alligator
The 24-second clip provides a brief look into the capture but fails to show how the creature was restrained, just that the deputies and wildlife officials got it bound and into a truck.
"OH SNAP! Over the weekend, this 8-foot swamp puppy showed up on a Bonita Springs residents doorstep!" the Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post. "Deputies gave a helping hand to our friends at MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife who safely relocated the gator. See ya later, Alligator."
The video posted by the sheriff's office has over 20,000 views and hundreds of reactions since it was posted on Monday.
The alligator's current condition and location is unclear, but USA TODAY has reached out to the wildlife commission for comment.
Alligators can be found across Florida
More frequent alligator-human interactions and a greater potential for conflict are possible as the state contends with "tremendous" population growth, especially as people procure waterfront homes and participate in water-related activities, according to the wildlife commission.
While many Florida residents have learned to live peacefully alongside alligators, the "potential for conflict always exists."
"Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for many centuries, and are found in all 67 counties," according to the commission. But serious injuries by way of alligator are "rare."
The best way to keep yourself safe from alligators, according to the commission, is to avoid feeding an alligator and keeping your distance if you see one, keeping pets on a leash around water and only swimming in designated swimming areas during the day.
Florida residents can contact the commission's toll-free nuisance alligator hotline at 866-392-4286 to report any and all alligator concerns. The commission will send a "contracted nuisance alligator trapper" to address and resolve the situation.
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Uncle Eli has sage advice for Texas backup quarterback Arch Manning: Be patient
- The secret to lasting love? Sometimes it's OK to go to bed angry
- Maine mass shooting commission gets subpoena power
- DoorDash steps up driver ID checks after traffic safety complaints
- Katy Perry is leaving 'American Idol' amid 'very exciting year'
- 'Nothing is off the table': Calls for change grow louder after unruly Phoenix Open
- P.F. Chang's will give free Valentine's dumplings to those dumped over a text message
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Winter storm hits Northeast, causing difficult driving, closed schools and canceled flights
Ranking
- 'We're reborn!' Gazans express joy at returning home to north
- The Relatable Lesson Tay and Taylor Lautner Learned In Their First Year of Marriage
- 'Nothing is off the table': Calls for change grow louder after unruly Phoenix Open
- Man pleads guilty to embezzling millions meant to fund Guatemala forestry projects
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Senate approves Ukraine, Israel foreign aid package
- Inside Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker’s First Valentine’s Day as Family of 9
- Royal Caribbean Passenger Dies Aboard 9-Month Ultimate World Cruise
Recommendation
Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
Biden says Trump sowing doubts about US commitment to NATO is ‘un-American’
14 Movies, TV Shows and More to Indulge in If You Are Anti-Valentine's Day
10 Things I Hate About You Actor Andrew Keegan Responds to Claims He Ran a Cult
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
Judge rules that restrictions on after-hour drop boxes don’t keep Floridians from voting
Man who fatally stabbed New Mexico officer had long criminal record, police say
Tiger Woods' Kids Are Typical Teens With Their Reaction to Dad's New Clothing Line