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Body pulled from canal in Polk County; alligator captured nearby

The man's body was found on mining property that includes 28,000 acres in Polk and Hardee counties.

FORT MEADE, Fla. — A human body was found in the water near an alligator on Thursday just off Peeples Road near County Road 630 in Polk County.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office says the remains of a deceased man were pulled from a canal on the property of The Mosaic Company, which does mining along Highway 630 -- just west of Fort Meade. An employee doing inspections discovered the man's body.

"At this time, we have no information regarding the cause of death, the man's identity, or how long the man has been deceased," a spokesperson for the sheriff's office wrote in an email. "An autopsy will be conducted to determine that."

The Mosaic Company said the victim was not an employee.

The 11-foot, 10-inch alligator has been captured, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is launching an investigation. Authorities said the animal weighed 449 pounds and was being taken to the medical examiner's office.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Credit: Polk County Sheriff's Office

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