'See ya later, alligator': Watch as Florida officials wrangle 8-foot gator from front lawn
Capturing an alligator is no easy feat, let alone one that's 8 feet long. But a pair of Florida deputies and a wildlife official recently made it look easy in a wrangling that was captured on video.
Lee County Sheriff's deputies lent a hand to help the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission corral what they called a "swamp puppy" that showed up uninvited to a home in a Bonita Springs, about 20 miles south of Fort Myers.
Video shows the alligator surrounded by deputies and an wildlife officer working to get the giant reptile off the front lawn.
Watch: Florida officers wrangle alligator
The 24-second clip provides a brief look into the capture but fails to show how the creature was restrained, just that the deputies and wildlife officials got it bound and into a truck.
"OH SNAP! Over the weekend, this 8-foot swamp puppy showed up on a Bonita Springs residents doorstep!" the Sheriff's Office wrote in a Facebook post. "Deputies gave a helping hand to our friends at MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife who safely relocated the gator. See ya later, Alligator."
The video posted by the sheriff's office has over 20,000 views and hundreds of reactions since it was posted on Monday.
The alligator's current condition and location is unclear, but USA TODAY has reached out to the wildlife commission for comment.
Alligators can be found across Florida
More frequent alligator-human interactions and a greater potential for conflict are possible as the state contends with "tremendous" population growth, especially as people procure waterfront homes and participate in water-related activities, according to the wildlife commission.
While many Florida residents have learned to live peacefully alongside alligators, the "potential for conflict always exists."
"Alligators have inhabited Florida's marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes for many centuries, and are found in all 67 counties," according to the commission. But serious injuries by way of alligator are "rare."
The best way to keep yourself safe from alligators, according to the commission, is to avoid feeding an alligator and keeping your distance if you see one, keeping pets on a leash around water and only swimming in designated swimming areas during the day.
Florida residents can contact the commission's toll-free nuisance alligator hotline at 866-392-4286 to report any and all alligator concerns. The commission will send a "contracted nuisance alligator trapper" to address and resolve the situation.