An alligator went to a shopping mall in Florida. Cops made sure it didn’t catch a bite
A four-foot alligator somehow made it to a shopping plaza in Fishhawk, Florida, over the weekend. According to a Facebook post from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the gator was hanging around shoppers’ cars on Saturday night.
Two deputies were able to wrangle the little guy out of there.
In a post titled, “Gator-Aid,” both deputies posed with the gator, its mouth taped shut, in their arms. In one picture, you can see a store behind the deputy and parking spaces.
“What would YOU do if you saw this little guy (or gal) hanging out by your car??” read the caption.
Most commenters were appreciative of a job well done.
Others couldn’t resist a joke.
“I don’t pick up hitchhikers!”
“Is that covered by workers’ comp? Alligator bite?”
“Fits on my smoker!”
The current whereabouts of the alligator are unknown, but the unwanted visitor is considered a nuisance alligator if it’s over four feet, and likely destroyed. According to the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the reason they can’t be relocated is they often try to return to their capture site.
“They can create problems for people or other alligators along the way,” the FWC says. “If an alligator successfully returns, capturing it again would be necessary and likely more difficult the second time.”
To report nuisance alligators call: 866-FWC-Gator (866-392-4286).
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 11:24 AM with the headline "An alligator went to a shopping mall in Florida. Cops made sure it didn’t catch a bite."
