WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — Have you ever walked up to a home and realized you were at the wrong place? Well, it seems like an alligator found itself in a similar situation in Pasco County.
A Ring doorbell camera captured the moment a large scaly reptile walked its way up to the doorstep of a Wesley Chapel house back on June 25.
But it didn't stay long. After looking around, the gator slowly started to back up while catching its footing.
The end of the video shows the alligator turning around and going back the way it came from, with its long tail following behind.
“That was the first time I saw the gator on my property, but I hadn’t been checking the camera for every activity," the homeowner, identified as Lucia, said in a statement to Ring. "The reason why I did check it was because my dog barked while I was sleeping at 4:30 and when I woke up later, I looked to see what got her riled up.
"After my shock of seeing that gator, I’ve been diligently checking it in those morning hours and up to about a week prior."
Lucia never saw the gator again, only armadillos and possums.
The neighborhood in Wesley Chapel reportedly has a lot of ponds, with one being directly behind Lucia's house and across the street.
"I do love gators and have a lot of neighbors that are protective of them,” she said in the statement.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligators have been found in marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes in the Sunshine State for centuries. They're found in all 67 counties.
With the human population and the number of waterfront properties growing, there have been more frequent alligator-human interactions.
Anyone who is concerned about an alligator can call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-392-4286. The FWC will send out one of its contracted nuisance alligator trappers.
Some tips from FWC when it comes to alligators include:
- Never feed an alligator
- Keep your distance if you see one
- Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours
- Keep pets on a leash and away from the water