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By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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A resident in Florida got a scaly surprise last week after hearing "odd noise[s]" coming from under their car.
Lurking underneath the vehicle was a medium-sized alligator, lying on the resident's driveway.
"The citizen took one look and noped right out of there," the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. "Deputies arrived and delivered the gator to a safe location."
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Two deputies—Doherty (pictured) and Smith—were dispatched to the scene to assist in the removal of the unwelcome reptile.
Alligators can be found across the southeastern U.S., from east Texas all the way to North Carolina. Florida is home to over 1.3 million alligators, which are mostly found in the state's swamps, marshes, rivers and wetlands, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. They will often venture out from their wetland habitats to look for food or a mate.
"Alligators are everywhere in Florida and it's not uncommon to find one in your yard, pool, or driveway as they travel from one lake to another," the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said.
The average size for an American alligator, as estimated by the Smithsonian's National Zoo, is 8.2 feet for the females and 11.2 feet for the males. Any gator over 4 feet can pose a threat to people, pets and property.
Alligator bites are rare, with an average of roughly 10 per year in Florida since 2015, according to data from the Florida Wildlife Commission. Very occasionally, these bites can be fatal.
In February, an 85-year-old woman was killed by a 10-foot alligator while walking her dog at a retirement community in Fort Pierce.
Dozens of users have commented on the police department's Facebook post to congratulate the deputies involved.
"Is that part of your training?!? Yikes!!" said one user.
"Great job PCSO...thank you for all that you do," said another.
If you find an alligator on your property, it's important that you do not attempt to catch it or harass it. "Even a gator minding its own business can bite if you bother it," the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office said. "Most of the time the gator will leave on its own. But if there's a safety issue to a human—or the gator—call PCSO [or your local sheriff's office]. We can evaluate the situation, relocate a small alligator, or contact Florida Wildlife Commission for a large or nuisance gator."
Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about alligators? Let us know via nature@newsweek.com.
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