Alligator sightings in Florida are fairly common, especially near wetlands.
But when the prehistoric-looking reptiles begin to scale walls in residential areas, it might seem like cause for alarm.
The accompanying image, captured by Belynda Blyth in Englewood, shows a large gator attempting to climb over a wall near a busy road.
As some remarked via social media, the gator also seems to be heeding advice written on the sign.
“Meanwhile in Florida. Spotted in Englewood. Watch for climbing gators too,” WINK News meteorologist Matt Devitt warned Wednesday via Facebook.
The image was subsequently shared by others in the news business, including NBC2 reporter Gina Tomlinson, who remarked, “This is LEGENDARY. Gators are now climbing walls and it’s not even AI.”
The striking image is just another example of how gators make news in Florida.
Their presence just about anywhere is not surprising, given that they exist in all 67 Florida counties.
While most Floridians safely coexist with alligators, painful or deadly conflicts do occur.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee (FWC), about five people per year suffer alligator bites. Since 1948, 22 people in Florida have been killed by alligators.
The state receives hundreds of complaints each year regarding alligators showing in unwanted places, and that’s often bad news for gators. The state permits the killing of up to 7,000 “nuisance alligators” each year.
Here’s hoping the wall-climbing Englewood gator made it safely back into watery seclusion.
