10-Ft. Alligator Spotted on a Florida Beach

Courtesy Kyle Hussey

A large alligator was spotted on a Florida beach on Friday, sunning itself before heading back into the ocean.

The animal was reportedly around 10-ft. long, according to Kyle Hussey, who saw and photographed the animal as it swam to shore from the ocean at Melbourne Beach.

After laying on the beach for about 10 minutes, the alligator went back to the ocean.

The National Ocean Service said alligators typically aren't found in the ocean.

"While alligators can tolerate salt water for a few hours or even days, they are primarily freshwater animals, living in swampy areas, rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds," the organization's website reads.

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Courtesy Kyle Hussey

According to Fox 35 Orlando, Hussey said that a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officer also spotted the alligator, and reported it to authorities.

Just last week, another huge alligator was pulled from the ocean at Delray Beach, about 135 miles from Melbourne Beach, and taken to a local farm.

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Around 1.3 million alligators live in Florida, according to the FWC's website. In 2021, nearly 9,500 nuisance alligators — described as being at least 4 ft. in length and posing "a threat to people, pets or property" — were killed in the state.

Under the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP), the FWC aims "to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur."

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Anyone concerned about a nuisance alligator in Florida is asked to call the FWC's toll-free hotline at 866-392-4286.