Tag: Alligator

Watch: Massive alligator lunges at golfers along cart path in Florida

Alligators are no strangers to Florida and have often been spotted in swimming pools and even on porches.

A golf cart driver got the shock of a lifetime when he almost ran over an alligator that instantly expressed its displeasure over the encounter.

A homeowner in the community caught the whole thing on video.

Denise Prues had spotted the alligator walking between two homes toward a pond behind the houses when the encounter took place.

Alligators are no strangers to Florida and have often been spotted in swimming pools and even on porches.

In February 2023, an 85-year-old woman on Florida’s East Coast was killed by an alligator that attacked her and her dog from a community pond not that different from the recent encounter.

Prues heard a noise in her side yard before she spotted an alligator Feb. 16 walking between two homes in Ave Maria, which is near Fort Myers, heading toward a pond behind the homes.

Between the homes and the pond was a path used by golf carts.

One driver apparently never spotted the alligator.

The second wasn’t so lucky.

The video shows the gator picking up speed as it neared the path, right in front of the golf cart. The driver quickly swerved to miss the alligator, which lunged at the cart.

Prues could be heard behind the camera saying, “Oh my god!”

Cheeky? Responses to gator and golf cart video, even from UK

“Heart-stopping moment alligator lunges toward cart on Florida golf course leaving driver heading for a pond as he veers off path,” was the United Kingdom’s Daily Mail’s headline.

“The alligator can be seen cheekily running up to the cart, before taking a snap dangerously close to the passenger as the vehicle makes its way past the stretch of water.”

“Ah, Florida. The land of freedom, tropical vibes … and alligators who won’t hesitate to take a chomp out of you,” said the Daily Caller.

Living with alligators in Florida

Although the exact alligator population is unknown, the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates there are about 1.3 million alligators of every size in Florida.

Alligators can be found in all 67 counties in Florida.

Alligators are opportunistic feeders and will eat any animal that is readily available. They prefer to go after prey they can overpower easily, the FWC said.

Giant ‘infamous’ gator spotted on the move in Florida; video

Recent footage shows the normally elusive gator, named, Fabio crossing a trail in broad daylight at Circle B Bar Reserve. “I was in awe.”

Florida is home to more than 1 million alligators, but there’s only one Fabio, a giant among giants in the Circle B Bar Reserve wetlands in Polk County.

The accompanying footage, captured Saturday by Ken Bergquist and shared by WINK News, shows Fabio traversing a trail while being photographed by onlookers.

“Fabio the infamous wild alligator was seen strolling through the Circle B Bar Reserve near Lakeland, Florida this past weekend,” WINK meteorologist Nash Rhodes boasted on Facebook.

While Fabio sightings might not be uncommon, it’s apparently rare to glimpse the reptile fully out of the water and on the move in broad daylight.

Bergquist, a regular at the reserve, told the Miami Herald that until Saturday he had only caught glimpses of a motionless Fabio basking in the sun.

“I’ve seen many [others] cross trails, but never a really huge one,” Bergquist said. “I was in awe.”

Bergquist said Fabio, who was named by locals, measures at least 12 feet. He’s believed to be one of the biggest, if not the biggest alligator in the reserve.

For comparison, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the longest alligator documented in Florida measured 14 feet, 3-1/2 inches.

The weight record, for a different gator, is 1,043 pounds.

The Circle B Bar Reserve is a 1,267-acre parcel of restored and protected wetlands near Lakeland.

‘Massive’ gator caught near Christmas shoppers at Florida mall

Authorities relocated the 12-foot, 600-pound gator to an area where it posed less of a threat to human safety.

Authorities in Florida have caught and relocated an enormous alligator after the reptile appeared near shoppers at a busy mall.

WINK News meteorologist Matt Devitt reported Friday via X:

“WOW! Massive 12 foot, 600 pound gator was just captured (and relocated) recently away from Christmas shoppers at the Coconut Point Mall in Estero, Florida. That’s a big boy!”

The image was credited to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

While the alligator is huge, American alligators in Florida can be significantly larger.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s website, the state record for length is a 14-foot, 3-1/2-inch male from Lake Washington in Brevard County.

The weight record, also for a male gator, stands at 1,043 pounds.

Devitt commonly shares news about alligator encounters. One of his posts involved a powerful gator caught on video spreading the bars of a metal fence to access the other side.

This Florida golf course is known for massive alligators, but that didn’t stop a black belt

Over the years, several people have taken photos of the alligators and posted them on Facebook.


Kurt Tezel has demonstrated karate in very unique places: in front of pyramids in Egypt, on board the USS Intrepid in New York and on a golf course in Cocoa Beach, Florida − in front of a 14-foot alligator about 20 feet away.

Now that’s what some in the martial arts world might call “warrior spirit.”

The sixth-degree black belt, who trains weekly at Ueshiro Merritt Island Karate Dojo on SR 520, was recently playing a round of golf at the Cocoa Beach Country Club last month when he noticed a large alligator hanging out on the bank and another one nearby. In a very so Florida move, he captured the moment on camera. He put his golf club aside and performed a kata (a series of movements in karate).

“You can’t play out there without seeing some alligators,” he said of the golf course. “They chill out on the bank, once in a while you’ll see one walking.”

The video, less than a minute long, shows Tezel in golf wear on the green, demonstrating karate moves in front of a large unassuming alligator, and then ending the kata with a bow. The video then zooms in to show the familiar scaly tail of a large animal. Tezel estimates the gator was up to 14 feet long, and he was about 20 feet away from it. He said there was another alligator nearby, but it’s not easily seen on the video, which was shot by his wife, Tricia Tezel.

Kurt Tezel, president of Supra Color Enterprises Inc. and longtime resident of Brevard, first Merritt Island, then Cocoa Beach, has trained in karate for more than 20 years and holds the rank of Sensei. Had one of the alligators stirred or showed any kind of movement as he did his kata, his instincts as a Floridian would have kicked in: “Run zigzag, run serpentine.” He also was mindful of his wife’s reaction as she filmed the alligator-karate scene.

The Cocoa Beach Country Club is transparent about the possibility of seeing alligators there − so says a notice on the city of Cocoa Beach’s website online: “Wildlife: The waterfowl, other birds, the dolphins, alligators, turtles and raccoons make the Cocoa Beach Country Club a true habitat and wildlife sanctuary for the enjoyment of all golfers. Course features include putting greens, a driving range and a ’19th hole’ where you can get a bite to eat, a beverage of your choice and reminisce over the great golf shots you just made! The CBCC also features banquet facilities at reasonable prices to host those special gatherings and celebrations.”

Over the years, several people have taken photos of the alligators at the Cocoa Beach Country Club and posted them on Facebook. Scroll to see social media photos, some possibly featuring the same 14-foot alligator, from the Cocoa Beach Country Club golf course.

Safety tips: What to do if you see an alligator?

Though Florida residents have learned to coexist with alligators, the potential for conflict always exists, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The wildlife commission recommends people avoid feeding alligators and to keep your distance if you see one. “Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours. And keep pets on a leash and away from the water,” FWC’s site states.

Serious injuries caused by alligators are rare here, but if you are concerned about a gator, call the nuisance alligator hotline at 866-392-4286 or visit myfwc.com.

Alligator sightings at Cocoa Beach Country Club golf course in Florida
Over the years, there have been sightings of alligators large and small at the Cocoa Beach Country Club. Signs warn about critters on the golf course, saying: “Caution. Beware of alligators, snakes.”

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Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. She is a third-degree black belt in Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu Karate USA and trains in Melbourne, Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang.

Footage shows large Florida gator trying ‘to climb up a house’

A home security camera has captured nighttime footage showing an alligator attempting to climb the outside wall of a Florida residence.

A security camera on Monday captured nighttime footage showing a large alligator attempting to climb the outside wall of a Florida residence.

Matt Devitt, chief meteorologist at WINK News, stated via X that the attempted break-in by the ‘huge Florida gator’ occurred in Babcock Ranch.

“That’s a new one!” Devitt observed.

 

The footage was credited to a WINK viewer named Kayla.

Devitt receives plenty of gator footage from viewers.

A haunting image he showcased last February showed a massive alligator sprawled on a golf course, gazing toward the photographer in what Devitt described as a “Jurassic’ moment.

In March Devitt shared footage of a large alligator tearing through a metal fence to with astonishing ease, although it was later revealed that the fencing was aluminum.

“Only in Florida,” Devitt wrote.

It’s not surprising that alligators occasionally generate headlines in Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) states on its website that about 1.3 million alligators reside in the state, and that they inhabit all 67 counties.

–Generic alligator image is courtesy if the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Alligator squeezes through backyard fence in defensive act

A man in Florida was shocked to find an alligator entering his backyard via a narrow fence, and captured it on video.

A man in Florida was shocked to find an alligator entering his backyard by squeezing through a narrow fence.

“It was incredible,” Bill Geiger Jr. told FOX 35 Orlando. “It caught me by surprise. I was shocked…I wasn’t really afraid of it; I was just wary of it.”

It didn’t take long for Geiger of Cocoa Beach to learn why the 6-foot alligator was breaking into his yard. The alligator had a nest in the yard that it was protecting, and it was in a full defensive mode, coming back into the yard to keep an eye out.

From FOX 35:

Geiger said he would love to leave the alligator to her own devices, but he has a one-year-old granddaughter who hasn’t been able to swim in his pool because of the gator, and his son hasn’t been able to bring over his dogs.

Also on FTW Outdoors: Boy fishing from pool noodle lands big bass, but it ends in heartbreak (video)

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said each gator nest has an average of 32 to 46 eggs, and Geiger isn’t willing to meet the whole family of babies once they hatch.

“I called FWC to find out what to do. They told me, ‘You’ve got to contact the city, you’ve got to do this, there’s a lot of red tape.’ Eventually, probably in a couple of days, they’re going to come out – I hope – remove the eggs, relocate the gator,” said Geiger.

Turn up volume to hear alligator’s deep roar that ‘vibrates water surface’

The Everglades National Park posted video of an alligator floating in a lake and sounding off with an intimidating guttural growl.

The Everglades National Park captured video of an alligator floating in a lake with its head and tail out of the water, and letting out an intimidating “deep roar that vibrates the water surface.”

The footage posted to the park’s Twitter feed was taken by Federico Acevedo of the Everglades National Park, and it is best viewed with the volume turned up.

The park described the video in other tweets:

“Video description: An American Alligator floats in a lake with its head and tail out of the water, puffing up and letting out a deep roar that vibrates the water surface…

Also on FTW Outdoors: Bear casually walks up to fallen traffic cone and puts it upright (video)

“Did you know the American Alligator has no vocal cords but it can produce a wide range of sounds? Male alligators bellow loudly to warn off other males and attract mates. They do this by sucking air into their lungs and blowing it out in a deep roar.”

Watch: Frightened angler chased from pond by ‘hungry’ alligator

A Florida news station has shared footage showing an alligator emerging from a pond and chasing an angler who had briefly turned his back on the reptile.

A Florida news station has shared footage showing an alligator chasing a frightened angler who had briefly turned his back on the reptile.

“Never turn your back on a hungry gator!” Matt Devitt of WINK Weather advised on Facebook.

RELATED: Florida gator tears through metal fence with alarming ease; video

The video clip is short and it was not clear how far the angler ran or what inspired the gator to chase him.

“Clear evidence the gator has been fed by humans,” one person suggested in the comments. “A truly wild gator would shy away from humans.”

Because the clip cuts off without a proper ending, another person remarked: “We need a Part 2.”

MORE: Can you spot the hidden animal in these 14 photos?

Watch: Alligator shows python who rules the Everglades

A Florida resident has captured footage showing an alligator devouring a large python after what appears to have been a lopsided battle.

A Florida resident has captured footage showing an alligator attempting to devour a large python after what appears to have been a lopsided battle.

The graphic footage was shared recently by Katina Boychew under the heading: Gator vs Python.

It was also a battle between a native species (American alligator) and a highly invasive species (Burmese python).

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A post shared by Katina Boychew (@katina86)

So it must have pleased Floridians to see the gator dispatching the python, at times thrashing its rival, so thoroughly.

As Sage Marshall described this week in Field & Stream: “… The gator then proceeds to gulp down part of the giant snake in a way that reminds me of Joey Chestnut eating hot dogs on the 4th of July.”

The one-sided result should not come as a surprise, given the weight advantage enjoyed by gators.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the heaviest alligator recorded in the state weighed 1,043 pounds.

The state-record python weighed 215 pounds.

MORE: Can you spot the hidden animal in these 14 photos?

 

Watch: Giant alligator disrupts play at Florida golf course

A Florida news station has shared video footage showing a massive alligator disrupting practice on a golf course and hissing at players riding in a cart.

A Florida news station has shared video footage showing a massive alligator disrupting practice on a golf course and hissing at players riding in a cart.

“Huge Florida Gator! We do golf a little different,” Matt Devitt, chief meteorologist at WINK News, stated Sunday via Twitter. “Check out this big guy playing through at a Florida course!”

The footage, credited to Dalton Mehrl, shows the alligator trampling a bin of practice balls. The gator then hisses from a cart path as golfers in a cart approach too closely.

“He’s angry,” one of the golfers observes, repeatedly, as the group backs away.

RELATED: Watch as Florida gator tears through metal fence with alarming ease

The footage also shows the gator slow-stepping across the practice area before seemingly pausing to nap.

The size of the reptile is unclear but for those who might wonder: The Florida length record for alligators is 14 feet, 3-1/2 inches. The weight record (involving a different gator) is 1,043 pounds.