Gator Strolls Florida Neighborhood, Experts Warn

0:00An alligator strolled through a Wesley Chapel neighborhood in Florida on Monday morning, catching everyone off guard in the Chasewood subdivision. Pasco County Sheriff's Office got the call, and a pro-rangler showed up to handle it, taping the gator's mouth and hauling it off to save for spot-wow. Folks cheered from the sidelines. Surveillance cams and resident videos caught the whole thing, from the gator crossing the road to chilling in a driveway. This ain't rare around here, with locals spotting them now and then near retention ponds. Neighbors like one woman named Montgomery say it's scary, but part of Florida life. They see gator sunbathing nearby every few weeks, and keep there. Distance, knowing we moved into their turf first. Zoo tampus herpatology boss Dan Costell backs that up, blaming mating season where big males push smaller ones out, sending them wandering for new. Digs. Experts warn any fresh water spot could hide a gator, so never feed them, or they lose fear and turn dangerous, mistaking hands for snacks. Keep pets leash tight and skip walks by water dogs.

1:02Look like easy meals to these guys. If you spot a nuisance gator during this busy mating time, just back off and hit up Florida Wildlife Commission's hotline at 866FWC Gator. To let pros deal with it, stay safe out there Florida. That's the story for today. Teppabay News Today, Driven by AI.