Large Alligator Caught 'Knocking on Doors' of Homes During Mating Season: Watch!
The Lee County Sheriff's Office reportedly responded to a call to the neighborhood at about 7 a.m. local time
Video of the incident shows deputies wrangling the animal into the bed of a truck with the help of a local trapperA Florida community encountered an unexpected visitor when an alligator was spotted 'knocking on doors' in the neighborhood.
'Our 3rd precinct deputies responded to a call this morning of a suspicious … gator knocking on doors within the Tortuga community. Thankfully, he was secured and handed over to the trapper safely," the Lee County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) shared in a Facebook post on Friday, May 9.
"How's that for taking a BITE outta crime? 😏🐊,' they jokingly added.
The officers responded to a call to the community, which is located about 175 miles southeast of Tampa, at approximately 7 a.m. local time on Friday, according to an email from the LCSO to McClatchy News, per The Miami Herald. The sheriff's office also noted that 'the gator was seemingly 7+ feet.'
May is the official start of alligator mating season in Florida, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). This marks a time when males are known to wander in search of mates, which increases the likelihood that they will appear in neighborhoods and other populated areas.
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The FWC also notes that this is a time of year when male alligators become increasingly territorial. Therefore, it advises people to exercise extra caution around bodies of water and to be aware of their surroundings — especially during dawn and dusk.
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