Florida authorities in video wrangle, remove massive alligator from pathway frequented by schoolchildren
A 12-and-a-half-foot alligator spotted strolling along a pathway frequented by kids walking to and from a nearby school was recently wrangled by Florida law enforcement and safely relocated.
According to the Pinellas Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call earlier this week from a concerned resident who said that there was an alligator on a pathway often traversed by schoolchildren.
When deputies arrived in the wooded area, they quickly spotted the massive gator meandering along the path.
"When deputies arrived, they found this absolute dinosaur and promptly called Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC) for assistance," Pinellas Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
Video of the encounter showed the beast lumbering along a chain-link fence.
"Stay, I said, stay," an officer is heard saying. "Good boy."
The video cuts to FWC wrangling the writhing gator with a rope before they duct taped its massive jaws closed.
The agency said that the group of wranglers were "a bit fearful, but willing."
Before it was relocated to a sanctuary in southern Florida, officers were seen gently patting the large alligator to help it "de-stress."
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According to FWC, May is the gator-mating season and the animals may be traveling to seek out a mate.
Wildlife officials say people should always keep a safe distance from alligators — they are wild animals and can be dangerous if provoked.
If there's concern about a Florida alligator, call the FWC's Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR.