A family in Tampa got quite the wakeup call in the middle of the night last month when they believed someone was trying to break into their home – but it turned out to be just a “Florida-style uninvited guest,” according to police.
According to the Tampa Police Department, officers were called to a home just after 3 a.m. on March 29 after a family believed there was an intruder. When officers arrived, they found that an alligator had actually let itself into the property to take a dip in the pool.
“He’s huge,” one officer can be heard saying in a video posted to the Tampa Police Department’s Facebook page.
Then the animal hissed.
“Good God,” the officer said, backing away.
After a short period of time, a nuisance alligator trapper arrived at the home and was able to wrangle the scaly intruder to remove it from the property.
The family was then able to get a good nights’ sleep.
Alligator mating season arrives in Florida
May marks the beginning of alligator mating season in Florida, and that means that the reptiles are way more active and are also more likely to wander into residential areas, wildlife officials say.
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), courtship behaviors in alligators start in early April, and mating occurs in May or June.
During that time, wildlife officials say male alligators will become more and more territorial, and may displace smaller ones.
That then could lead to more alligator sightings in areas that aren’t common, like swimming pools.
If you encounter an alligator that poses a threat to people, pets, or property, contact the FWC’s Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 1-866-FWC-GATOR (392-4286).
