What is the number of Florida deputies needed to manage a huge 14ft alligator?

A large alligator measuring 14 feet in length caused a stir when it wandered onto a residential property in Florida, prompting a full response from local law enforcement. The 600-pound reptile required the expertise of a professional trapper to secure it safely. In addition, seven deputies from the Sarasota County Sheriffs Office were involved in assisting with the removal of the massive creature.

Footage released on Facebook by the sheriffs office shows the alligator resting in the middle of a road near the home, its mouth already restrained. In the video, one voice directs, Get on a leg, everybody get on a leg, as the officers cautiously surround the large swamp-dwelling animal.

During the capture, the alligator swung its powerful tail while being lifted, momentarily hitting one of the deputies. Officers coordinated to place the animal onto a nearby truck, with one deputy exclaiming, get in there, and another commenting on the chaos of the situation, calling it nuts. The sheriffs office humorously noted on social media that the unwelcome visitor had plans to stay for the holidays, before being safely removed, signing off with, See ya later, Alligator!

The captured alligator, weighing around 600 pounds (272 kilograms), was later transported to an alligator farm for relocation. Floridas official state reptile, alligators are common in rural areas across the state, with an estimated population of 1.3 million according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Although generally not aggressive toward humans, alligators can create hazards by blocking roads or local recreational areas. Their diet, typically consisting of fish, snakes, small mammals, and birds, can sometimes include household pets. Thanks to conservation measures and restrictions on hunting, Floridas alligator population has increased, leading to their classification as least concern after being removed from the endangered species list in 1987.

Author: Gavin Porter